The Cat and the Skylark
by Phoenix of Starlight
Summary: Ikuto Tsukiyomi is living a delightful life as Tora High's idol, when the principal asks him to show around a transfer student from Namimori! Not only that, this new student shares his exact schedule and locker. Soon, however, Ikuto finds himself falling for this new student. IkutoxHibari.
1. In the Fields

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter One**

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I smiled up at the morning sun as I lied in the grass, feeling at ease to be in the field. I had ditched school again, but I felt that school didn't matter. Besides, there wasn't exactly anyone to tell me 'no.' I hadn't seen a hair on my father's head since six years ago, after telling him off, and my mother had died a while ago, too. The only people I had were my father-in-law and my sister, but it was more typical of me to seek solitude. After all, I HATED that man, and my sister... well, I loved her, but she loved me back in a way that siblings shouldn't.

I shuddered, remembering the few times she had kissed me. Forcibly._ On the lips._

When we were both already _far_ above that age!

Heaving a sigh, I slipped my hand into my pocket, only to be reminded that I no longer had the key that meant so much to me. I had given it to my first crush, Amu, a long time ago, hoping that it would bring us even a little closer together. Ah, the heartache. No, I was sure that even then I knew that she didn't like me in that way, that all of her love belonged to another.

"Ikuto... are you all right?" Yoru asked, pawing at my chest. I sat up, frowning.

"Just remembering," I told him. Yoru still looked worried, so I petted him gently on the head. "I'm fine," I assured, "so don't make that face." I then stood, and picked up my white violin case, trying to block out the fearful memories of being trapped in darkness. The violin amplified the pain by a landslide, but I had to ignore that. I would never give up my precious violin over mere shadows of the past.

As I picked up the instrument and the bow, I noticed that my Guardian character was finally convinced of my wellbeing. Giving a gentle smile, I began to play. Sorrowful melodies broke out in the quiet field, and I moved with the wind, swaying back and forth to help me keep time. The song flowed back from my past, and my fingers moved on their own, practicing the precious moment where I had heard the sound of my father's soul. The heartfelt tune was one that I might never forget... it was permanetely etched into my mind, constantly playing to stress to me how important it was that I kept playing... that I kept moving on.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that it had saved me from a life of despair.

There was a gentle roar in the background from an airplane far above, but I continued to play- after all, I couldn't stop if I wanted to. But I did spare the craft a glance, and a smile, as it passed overhead, preparing to nest in the heart of Torakoa city.

_My hometown._

With a few more strokes of the bow, the melody came to a close, ending on an elegant note, and I sighed, content. As one who thoroughly enjoyed the music, I could always find peace by playing, no matter what I was feeling before.

"Ikuto!"

Hearing the shrill call of my name from my sister, I turned, just as she threw her arms around me. "What is it, Utau?" I asked, trying not to shove her away.

"I've been looking for you everywhere- you're homeroom teacher told me that I had to tell you..."

"What? What?" I insisted, gently shaking her by the shoulders so that she'd continue.

"There's going to be a transfer student from Namimori Middle!"

I fell silent immediately, shocked by the words. Namimori? I used to live around Namimori! I wondered about that transfer student immediately, and smiled at the idea of it being a girl. Man, I would get myself all nice and cozy with her, and get some real insight about that place. After all, I didn't know much about it... my mother moved to Torakoa city when I was much younger, around the time my father left the family.

I may not have known much about Namimori... but I did know that it was a beautiful place. It had to be, if my father once lived there.

He was... quite fond of beautiful things.

"All right, thanks for telling me," I replied. "I'll have to come to school tomorrow, I suppose."

"Yeah," Utau agreed. She looked around, just a bit awkward, and said, "You know, um... you should really come to school more often. You might get summer school, or Saturday school if you don't."

"It's not like I'll attend those, anyway," I sighed. "School is dumb. They all teach you what they want you to know, and then, they ask_ 'oh yeah, by the way, what are YOU intrested in?'"_

"But what about orchestra?" she asked. I wish she hadn't asked that. Of all the nerve points to strike within me, the biggest involved strings. I didn't appreciate her calling me on abandoning my ensemble, even as the first chair violinist.

"I'm still practicing the music," I muttered. "I don't need to practice with the group. It's not like I'll skip out on the concert." Her eyes were still filled with worry, but at my comment, she began to head away, thankfully. I sighed, and let my shoulders relax as I repeated, "I don't need a group. I'm totally fine practicing all on my own."

And that I was.

**-End Chapter**

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	2. Meeting the Bad Boy

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 2**

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I woke up on the roof of my house, as usual, and I gave a long stretch, before letting Yoru take over my personality. Cat ears sprouted on my head, a feline tail from my backside, and I leapt on to the roof of the next house over. "Transfer student, huh?" I chuckled as I leapt across the houses. "Please be a girl, please be a girl," I mused, my tail dancing cheerfully in the air. "Heck, I don't care if it's a girl, just let them be cute!" I laughed to myself as I at last landed on the ground before my school. Torakoa High. _Lovely_. I combed my hands through my hair, and straightened my back, giving Yoru the boot from my mind as we approached the school. I could hear the squealing in the back, all over me, and I must admit, it felt kinda good.

I was the most beautiful man in the school, and I knew it. All of the girls wanted me, and all of the men envied me, but they didn't care because they knew I was hot, too. Ha! No jokes. By the time I had made it to my locker, there was a hoard of girls around me. I opened my locker with a hint of timidness, put away my books, and tossed yesterday's sack lunch into the trash can. Of course, the sack lunch was quickly recovered, and its contents observed, before it was reluctantly returned to the trash. I silently mused what they thought of the packet of catnip inside it.

I glanced past the girls to just notice a pair of hawk-like eyes locked against mine, and I gulped, suprised, before easing my way out of the crowd. I was pushed back. "Now, now, let me through, ladies, I can hardly breath," I grunted, finally squeezing past the crowd. The bearer of those intruiging eyes was hurriedly walking away, a bird on his shoulder, when I caught sight of a dropped badge. "Oh... Hey, you!" I called, but the short-haired girl didn't stop. I picked up the badge, and started after her, thinking she must not've heard me. "Hey! Girl with a bird on her shoulder!" I shouted. She stopped dead, and slowly turned, those alluring, steely eyes gazing at me in a way that could've made me melt on the spot. I gulped, and held out the badge. "You dropped this," I murmured. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she grabbed the badge from me, continuing to stare at me in an almost unreal manner. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore. "Uh... Is something wrong?" I asked, suddenly feeling as though I'd done something wrong. What, though? All I did was return the badge! Suddenly, it began to dawn on me. Just as I gazed at that short, raven-black hair, at those fierce eyes, and at that toned, lean body, I was about to apologize for calling _him_ a _her_, when-

"I'm a man," he spat at me, and the bird on his shoulder chirped, _'Hibari, Hibari!'_

"Oh, sorry, I saw the bird, and thought... well nevermind that!" I apologized, flustered as I extended a hand. "Tsukiyomi Ikuto, it's a pleasure to meet you." He glanced at my hand as if disgusted, then turned and began to walk away.

"Idiotic herbivore," he muttered. As the girls about me gasped, I slowly lowered my hand, hurt. Was that... the new transfer student? _Him?_ I closed my eyes, frustrated, when I decided that no one walks away from Ikuto Tsukiyomi. I ran after him.

"Hey, wait up!" I called. He simply began to walk faster, and I rolled my eyes. "Slow down, kid, I just want to know your name!" I complained. He whirled about, giving me another glare.

_"'Kid?'_" he hissed. I was momentarily triumphant. I had successfully gotten his attention.

"Uh, yeah, sorry, but we're all kind of children," I laughed. "What's you're name, and what middle school did you come from?"

"Hibari, Hibari! Midori tanamiku, Namimori no! Dainaku shounaku, nami ga ii!" his bird answered for him as he walked off again. Abruptly, the bird took flight off of his shoulder, and landed on my outstretched hand. I smiled. Adorable. I began to pet the bird softly, and I could feel the other's rage rising at a rapid pace.

"Hibird," he called, his eyes angry. The bird didn't budge. As if he'd been dumped, the transfer student began to stalk away, hissing quietly.

"Kyaaa!" a couple of my girls squealed, "Look, Ikuto-sama has a bird on his fingers! So cute~!" The bird then flew back to its master, once more chirping his name, and landed on his head. I thought for a moment that I actually heard the man thank his pet for coming back.

"I'll see you later, Hibari!" I called, grinning. What an _angel_ Namimori had brought us. Hehe!

"Tsukiyomi Ikuto and Hibari Kyoya, please report to the principal's office."

Aww, his first name was Kyoya! Oh, thank you, principal. My heart thudded in my chest with glee, and I bounded back up to Hibari, saying, "Looks like we've got to go to the principal's office, Hibari. I wonder if you got me in trouble~"

"Don't stand so close to me, herbivore," he snapped, glaring at me again. I was slightly hurt by his put-out-my-joy spirit, but I could still handle him.

"Hey, hey, calm down, Kyoya, we're all friends," I said, giving a few of the lingering fangirls a little, teasing glance. "Isn't that right, ladies?"

"Kyaaaaa! He talked to us!" they all screamed.

I didn't notice the other clench his fist as I turned back to him. "If you couldn't tell, I'm one of the more popular guys here-," I began, before he swung a fist back and hit me square on the nose, sending me back with the uncontained strength.

"I said not to stand so close!" he repeated, furious.

"Ikuto-sama!" a few girls gasped, before looking at Hibari. I could barely hear their voices due to the dizziness rocking in my head, but I was, sort of, okay.

"He must have some mental problems..."

"Maybe he's bipolar?"

"Ikuto-sama's hurt, we should take him to the nurse's office..."

"Ikuto-sama, are you okay?"

Knowing Hibari could get in trouble if I was seriously hurt, I rubbed his face where he'd punched me, blood dripping out of my nose. "Didn't expect THAT move," I chuckled, putting on the veneer. "I'm fine, everyone, I'm fine. I'll head off to the principal's office, then. Since he called us."

He stared at his fist, at the blood that speckled it, and he smirked, obviously quite proud of himself.

"You meanie! You hurt Ikuto-sama!" I heard while I tried to stop the bleeding.

"Back off," I heard next, "I don't want to hurt any girls." I looked up moments later, to discover that a hoarde of my fans had tackled Hibari down, and were beating him up with their tiny little punches. I tried to hold my laugh at the extremely comical sight, when I realized that this was serious. I could see his face, scrunched up with pain and anger, and I scrambled up to my feet, then ran into the nearest classroom.

"Sensei, please, come quickly," I requested, covering my nose so that he wouldn't see the blood on it. "The new kid is in a fight."

I took the liberty to not say that he was being attacked by girls for the sake of not giving the poor guy a bad reputation. The teacher ran out, me behind him, and he dispersed the girls, leaving a wounded and very startled Hibari in their wake. He slowly sat up, his eyes glazed with shock as he saw the blood that now covered him. It wasn't mine after all. It was his. "Are you all right?" the teacher asked, "Ikuto-kun ran over and told me what was happening, but I didn't think that you were this badly hurt!"

"I'm fine," Hibari answered in a voice that broke on him. I wanted nothing more than to take the poor guy into my arms and give him a nice, big hug, because I knew that even girls could be ferocious. He looked back at the bloodstains on his clothes, clearly humiliated, and I smiled, full of pity.

"Dude, you can't lay a finger on me," I said said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He whirled around, maybe about to try and attack me again, but I quickly stepped back so that he wouldn't try it. "I'm serious," I insisted, "I'll take a hit, but those girls are vicious, and they won't let it slide. You've made a terrible move, Kyoya."

"Do you really think a bunch of girls can attack me?" he protested, his eyes fierce. It was then that a drop of blood from his forehead dropped into his eyes, and he angrily wiped it away, before pausing as he met my eyes once more. And as our gazes met, I came to a realization. There was only one reason none of the men attacked me.

_They were all freaking scared of my ladies!_

**-End Chapter**

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Pfft. Lol. XD

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	3. The Principal's Plan

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 3**

I lead the way into the principal's office, Kyoya behind me, his eyebrows furrowed as he remained locked in some deep thought. "Sit down, Kyoya, Ikuto. Oh, my, looks like both of you got hurt today, I wonder..."

While the ravenette beside me sat down and looked at the principal in a formal manner, I folded my arms on the desk and gazed up with him with my special kitten eyes. "What is it, sir?" I asked.

"Ikuto, I'd like for you and Kyoya to become friends. Is that all right?"

"Hm? I dunno, sir, he doesn't really like me," I replied, sending Kyoya a point-making glance. He grunted at me, and I smirked, just overcome with adoration for his tsundere personality.

"Oh, Kyoya, please don't worry, we're your friends. We know that it's hard to leave a place that you're so familiar with, but it's so much worse when you don't have anyone you can talk to! So come on, I'm sure you and Ikuto could get along well."

"Hey, Ikuto. How open are you to the topic of killing people?" he asked out of the blue, his eyes flickering like flame as he stared me down. "If we have THIS much in common, perhaps we can 'get along.'" Ah, well if that was how he was going to be, I supposed I could play along.

"I wouldn't mind learning about it," I replied, winking at the prefect. He scrunched up his nose and snorted at me in a way not unlike a farm animal.

"I'm not going to become your slave, so you can just give up on that now," He said bluntly. I was offended by this comment. What did he take me for, anyway? A pervert? Was Amu right?_ Ugh!_

"Hey, hey, where did you get that idea?" I protested, "I'm just trying to 'get along.'"

"You disgust me," he snapped, glaring at me for the umpteenth time. I tried not to take it personally, but the wounds were there, anyway. The principal sighed.

"Now listen. You two have the same classes and are going to share lockers at P.E., so you better learn how to treat each other nicely. And please spend lunch together so you can get closer."

I was suprised by this. The same classes? The same locker? Hold up! "Hey, why do I have to share my locker with him?" I said, "I mean, let's face it. He's really disagreeable."

"Now, Ikuto...," the principal groaned, "please give him a chance."

"I'm right here," he growled. I glanced at him, wondering if he was seriously taking offense, or just being the usual.

"Look, if we have the same classes, the best idea is to just get along. Okay?" I suggested. "Is that possible?"

"No, it's not," he answered. "I need space. A locker room isn't possible. And neither is sitting in a class with a bunch of other students. I just can't do that."

"So you're either shy or claustrophobic," I observed, "Hm?"

"I hate people," he told told me. "That's it."

"Ooh, I see what it is. SEVERE claustrophobia," I determined, smirking.

"No. I just HATE PEOPLE."

"Well learn to deal with them, because I'm not going to let you skip classes because you can't stand the people," the principal growled.

"Midori tanamiku, namimori no! Dainaku shounaku, nami ga ii!" Hibari's bird chirped.

Shush, Hibird," he whispered. The bird made a cute chirp of protest, flying off of his shoulder and circling around the room before landing back on his head.

"Oh, yes, that reminds me," the principal began, "the bird."

I could feel Kyoya tense beside me, and I glanced at him. "What about him?" the ravenette asked.

"Well, we can't have him in the building. He'd distract everyone."

The ravenette allowed his bird to hop down onto his finger. "He's very quiet when ordered," he told the principal. "And he'll stay still if I tell him to."

I was highly amused by Hibari's protest, but, knowing I shouldn't chuckle in front of him, I tried to pass it off as a bout of coughing. In retaliation, the ravenette hit me on the back of the head. "Well, even if this bird follows your every demand, its still a bird. People will try to grab him, throw things at him, that kind of thing. Especially the delinquents."

He perked up at hearing the word 'delinquent.' "Do you have a Disciplinary Committee?" he asked. The principal arched a brow.

"You mean prefects?"

Hibari nodded, before taking out the badge that he'd dropped earlier. "I was the head prefect at my old school. Everyone was too scared of me to break the rules," the ravenette informed our principal.

I whistled, highly impressed. Hibari Kyoya, head of the Disciplinary Committee. Sure sounded nice, but I couldn't help teasing, "Yeah, but you couldn't take the girls."

Unfortunately, the principal looked disappointed that Hibari would think such a thing. "Look, Kyoya, we can't rule through fear. That would make everyone uncomfortable and it would be more difficult for them to focus." The prefect beside me seemed to get down, so I tried to cheer him a little.

"Silly Kyoya, trying to make everybody afraid of him," I said, grinning. I recieved a hard kick in return, and I bit my lip in containing a mewl of hurt.

_'You okay, Ikuto?'_ asked a tiny vioce in my head.

_'M'fine, Yoru,'_ I replied.

"Shut up or I'll bite you to death," Kyoya growled. That sentence killed me. I didn't think he was serious, really, so I took it as a joke and laughed at the remark.

"You're going to do WHAT?" I laughed. "You said you'll _bite _me to death? Haha, what are you, a vampire? Oh, that's _PRICELESS!"_

"Ikuto, calm down, calm down," the principal murmured to me. "Okay, Kyoya, keep the bird outside, and don't... don't threaten or physically hurt anyone. I don't need another 'bad boy' here."

I could sense Hibari's anger as he stalked over to the nearest window, muttering, "I'll be outside during P.E., right?"

"Yes, you will."

"What time is P.E.?"

I answered, "It's right after lunch. It's around one."

He seemed to whisper something to his bird, before letting the little guy fly off outside.

"Kyoya, come on. It's your first day here, try to make friends." The prefect frowned as he returned to his seat.

"Isn't class about to start?" he asked. The principal took out a hall pass.

"It already has. You and Ikuto go ahead to period one."

"Come on, Kyoya," I said, taking the hall pass and standing. Kyoya soon followed me, and we headed off towards homeroom. "Heh, you sure showed a lot of attitude in front of the principal," I commented. "It's pretty nice to see how confident you are." In honesty, it was meant as a joke, but I'm sure Hibari took it seriously. But then, I remembered an extremely important question.

"So what's with the bird?" I asked, falling back so that I'd be walking alongside the ravenette. "Did YOU train it to sing?"

"Yeah," he answered. "So far, it can only say my name and sing the Namimori school anthem, but he roughly understands what I tell him." I withheld my 'aw' at the thought. Would this guy really sing something just to teach it to his bird.

"That's nice," I said, before adding under my breath, "I wish Yoru was that intelligent."

_'I heard that, nya!'_

"Who's Yoru?" Kyoya asked.

"You'll know him if you see him," I chuckled. "I'd say he resembles me."

_'You better keep quiet... nya!'_

I smiled, then frowned when I noticed that he was slowing down again, as if he really didn't want to walk beside me. I stopped, and gave a low groan in protest. "What?" he asked.

"You keep slowing down to walk behind me," I muttered. "Is it too much trouble to ask that we walk together?"

He frowned and took a step up so that he was next to me, then stepped to the side, muttering, "Need my space."

"Right, right, your 'space,'" I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "I think it's stupid." Really, was he THAT claustrophobic?

"It's not stupid. I hate people," he pressed, as if not wanting my judgement. "Just live with that."

"Okay, fine," I sighed. "You're so wierd."

"I won't change, either."

I merely glanced at him, and reached for the handle to open the door. "Well, be ready for an introduction to the class. Since you're transferring here a couple months into school, everyone's gonna have their eyes on you. If you don't make a good first impression- I won't lie- it'll be hell for you."

"I just want to be left alone."

"Then try to look good. As long as your relatively normal, no one will bother you."

I hesitantly left his side and went into the classroom, then, for the sake of formality, bowed to the class. "Ikuto-samaaaa!"

"He's so hot!"

"Such a regal entrance!"

I glanced at Hibari when he didn't follow, and he gave me a short nod, stepping in as well. He was almost petrified by the dozens of stares he recieved, and I took pity, but couldn't help. I took the ravenette by the shoulders and pushed him to the front of the classroom, but not before breathing 'good luck' against his ear. I tossed the hall pass to the teacher and took my seat, leaving him in front of the many critical glances. The teacher chuckled and walked over.

"Hibari Kyoya, right?" she asked. Kyoya nodded, and I felt my heart ache with pity as I saw him gulp.

He forced a smile, and bowed to the class, his face starting to tint red as he spoke before the crowd. "I hope we can all get along," he somehow managed, and the class seemed satisfied. The teacher actually clapped a bit.

"Well, well! We've got ourselves a young gentleman in the class, don't we?" she laughed, "All right, you can take the empty seat by Ikuto, since you seem to know him."

I was so relieved that Kyoya had done okay. But just as I was about to congratulate him, someone stuck their foot out, and tripped the prefect. I could see for a split second the flash of shock in his eyes as he stumbled to the ground, and I bit my lip, scared for his sake as the class began to roar with laughter. The ravenette slowly rose back to his feet, his face even redder with fury, and he sent the offender a quick and meaningless glare before he took the seat beside me. "So what did I do wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, that was really good, actually," I tried to comfort him. "A little formal, but good. I was wondering for a second if you'd done an emergency switch out with your not-evil twin."

"I don't have a twin," he muttered as the class settled down.

"I know," I whispered, "but that _fall! _Man, that is_ not _a good sign."

"Do you have _any _idea how difficult it was to _smile _at all these weaklings?" he hissed, "It was like trying to laugh while you watched the most important thing to you get burned in a fire."

Thinking of my violin, I wondered if he really meant that. "It was THAT hard to put on a fake smile?"

"Yes, it was," he replied.

"Quiet in the back," called the teacher. "Today's lesson is on irrational numbers."

_After class..._

"That was useless," Kyoya growled, stretching.

"Come on, Kyoya, try to put up with it," I said, picking up my bag and heaving it on to my shoulder. "I'll walk you to the next class, and I'll help with your introduction. Having popular friends makes you popular automatically."

"I'm not your friend," the ravenette replied. I passed off my disappointment and gave a short sigh.

"Well do you want my help or not?"

"I don't," he told me. "There's no point in that. I'll be pestered by other students either way."

"Are you giving up already?" I snapped, taking a hold on his collar. I pulled him up close to me, remembering the man who had abandoned his family... remembernig my father, and I snarled, "I hate people who give up."

Kyoya shoved me back in retaliation. "And I hate people who won't give me the space I need," he said. "Don't get so close to me."

I hissed, still annoyed, began to walk out of the classroom. "Come on. Science class next."

Kyoya followed along me, being a contradiction in himself as he did so. He wanted space, but he didn't have any choice but to come closer to me. And... the closer he got to me, the more affection I felt for him.

The more I wished he was female.

**-End Chapter**

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	4. Draw This

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 4**

As we went into boring science class with the forever monotone-deadpan teacher, Hibari's introduction was almost comical with it's lack of energy.

"Okay, Hibari, go sit over there."

"... All right."

And that was that. Hibari's perplexed expression was a memory which I would treasure forever. He was adorable, how he scrunched up his face like that and plopped down into his seat. And how he just slowly began to notice sensei's droning, robotic voice as he talked about the different phyla of invertebrates. However, even I could hardly stand the teacher's voice. I took out a blank piece of paper, and began to sketch the view displayed before me, that was the back of Hibari Kyoya's head. I noticed Ruka, a female acquaintance of mine, toss a note onto Kyoya's desk, before mouthing for him to pass it to the foreign student, Jessica. However, I winced as I heard the sound of paper ripping, and it was soon after that two halves of a note for Jessica were tossed carelessly onto my desk. Heaving a sigh, I passed the halved note to the foreigner, before starting my own.

'Kyoya, look,' I wrote. 'I know you aren't intrested in giving notes to other students, but listen to this guy. This is the most boring teacher in the great wide world of teachers. You see it too, don't you? All of these students are losing their very spirit because he talks like a recorded message. It's the only thing we have to keep us entertained!'

I passed it up to him, murmuring, "Read this." It was soon after that Kyoya's hand shot up in the air, and I could feel the hair on the back of my neck standing on end as the teacher asked him what he needed.

"Professer, Tsukiyomi Ikuto is passing notes in class," the prefect said. The teacher slowly stepped forward, and took the note, before reading it aloud to the class. I could feel the shame hit me like a truck. I hung my head, blushing with embarassment and anger towards my wannabe-friend as the teacher closed the final sentence, gazing at me.

"Well?"

"I'm sorry, professor, I was wrong," I murmured, just a couple tears hanging in my eyes from squeezing them so tightly shut.

"Hn," the professor grunted, "And Hibari, please find a more important reason to interrupt me next time. Okay?" Once more, I felt the ravenette before me tense up slightly.

"Yes... sir," he said, as if offended. "Although, I do believe that Ikuto was being disrespe-"

"Yeah, well find a better reason." I wiped the slight dampness out of my eyes, and returned to my sketch, sighing to myself. Soon after, I had to look back up, for I saw Kyoya making very many unneccessary movements. The foot tapping was the worst. I smiled, and wrote on another paper, 'Now do you get it?' I tossed the paper on to Hibari's desk, and, after a few moments, he began to write to pass it back. I soon recieved the note, and smiled to see his reply.

'What are you drawing?'

I glanced down at the half drawn picture, before writing softly, 'The back of your head.' I passed it to him, and he quickly scratched down something in a very aggressive manner. He threw it back at me, and all I caught was the word 'screw' before the teacher rose his voice a few decibels and startled me. While half of what he said was overlooked, I heard, "Ikuto, give me that," and immediately handed the note over. As he threw the note away, I slowly flushed red. _'Screw who, exactly?'_ I wondered.

_'Hehehe! Ikuto's thinking dirty thoughts!'_

_'Zip it, Yoru.'_

"Pay attention," the professor snapped to Kyoya, and I looked back up. Hibari was turned away from the professor, ignoring him. "Hey. Watch the attitute or I'll give you detention.

Still flustered from the note I'd only half read, I said, "Leave him alone."

"Hm? Ikuto, what is it with you today? You're usually such a wonderful student."

"I was the one who started it," I said, hanging my head to hide my blush. "So don't harass Kyoya for my wrong." I was deaf to the murmurings in the classroom, hearing only the death sentence as the teacher told me I had detention after school. "Okay, sir," I murmured.

And the rest of the period continued as it had started.

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"I'm impressed," I huffed as I finished packing up after class. "Second class, and you've already given me detention."

He replied, "You started it anyway, and you didn't need to butt in like that." Yet again, I was slightly hurt by his blunt honesty. And _who_ was the one who sent me that note with the suggestive word on it?

"Eh... I was worried about you," I lied. "If you got detention, you'd probably beat up the teacher, and we'd have to call the police."

"The police, huh?" he sneered. "They can't do anything to me."

"Yeah, they can," I sighed as I started towards the door. "Come on. One more class until lunch. We have english next, I think."

"Why the hell do we have to learn English?" Kyoya complained. "It's so stupid. We're in Japan!"

I chuckled when he couldn't catch it. "I know. But bear with me. The teacher for this one is more... uh... energetic, so to speak." I grinned.

"Wonderful. So more chance of me messing up the introduction?"

"Oh, no. She'll do everything for you," I hinted, still amused.

"... All right." We headed into the classroom, and I headed straight over to the teacher, giving Hibari a mischievous glance. "Hibari Kyoya just transferred here," I said smoothly. As I stalked back to my seat, I winked at the ravenette, whose dumbstruck face made my day.

"Hibari Kyoya!" said the teacher in her usual manner. "Welcome to room five-sixty-nine! How old are you?"

"Seventeen?" Kyoya seemed to guess.

"Really? When's your birthday?"

"May fifth... Children's day..." I made a mental note of this one.

"Nationality?" I had to resist an outburst of laughter when Kyoya answered 'Japanese,' just a litte more confidently. "Blood type?" I held my pencil at the ready, but Kyoya had, unfortunately, had enough.

"Why do you need to know this?" he protested.

"I'm just playin' with ya!" the teacher laughed, before taking a hold of Hibari's arm, and holding it right up as if he'd won a medal. "Everyone! We have a new student! Say 'hi' to Hibari Kyoya!"

"Hi, Hibari Kyoya!" we all chimed. Yes, I participated.

"All right, Kyoya, I know that being in a new classroom with a bunch of people you don't know is daunting, but there's no need to be scared! We're all your friends here!" Kyoya looked extremely creeped out. It was so nice. "Now go take the open seat behind Ikuto, because it seems like you know each other already~."

"That was exhausting," he murmured. I smiled, and took my drawing from earlier, before giving it to him. "... Seriously?" he murmured. I smiled, and nodded.

And I could almost feel his blush.

**-End Chapter**

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Please Review!


	5. Call Me

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

English class went as it usually did, with me sneaking manga behind the false cover of my English-Japanese dictionary and enjoying a nice, peaceful read. "Hey, Kyoya," I began after slipping the book back into my bag. "Let's eat lunch together."

"I want to go take a nap," the ravenette replied. I chuckled.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"No."

"Come on, I have yakiniku," I offered.

"No."

"Aren't you a fan of yakiniku?"

"That doesn't mean I'll eat with you."

"But I need an excuse to get away from the ladies for a day."

"They're YOUR ladies," he argued. "Why can't you just tell them off?"_ I would never!_

"Kyoya," I began, shaking my head in disappointment, "you need to learn nice."

"I don't do nice," he growled.

"Fine. But I don't want to get in any more trouble. So we're having lunch together, no exceptions," I sighed. Hibari suddenly sidestepped, and accidently ran into another student- a delinquent. I winced as Kyoya went and threw a punch into their stomach, and cringed further as they shoved the transfer student backwards, into a wall. "Watch it, twerp," he snarled, glaring. Kyoya returned the glare.

"Are you talking to me?" he snarled, before kicking the other in the stomach. I gasped as the other stumbled to the ground; I had thought him to be tougher than the ravenette beside me. "Be careful," he hissed, "the next time you touch me, I might kill you." By the time the delinquent looked back up at the prefect, fear in his eyes, the prefect had returned to my side. I shook my head, astonished.

"You ought to knock it off before they expell you," I murmured.

"They wouldn't," Hibari snickered. "They can just see how I control other students."

I tried to resist an eyeroll, failed, and I said, "Chill, Kyoya, you aren't a teacher. Nor are you a principal, and much less are you a shogun. So you have to learn to lie low and saturate yourself in being a good person."

"That's not ME," the ravenette growled. "I'm not changing my own personality just because people think I'm mean or violent."

I answered "Huh. Well, at this point, we're almost at the cafeteria, so-"

"Wait, what?" Hibari snapped all of a sudden as he froze. "As in, you expect me to eat lunch, in the prescence of a crowd?"

"You really are claustrophobic, aren't you, Kyoya?" I mused, biting my lip to not chuckle.

"I am not," Kyoya continued to deny, "but I just have to disperse a crowd when I see one."

"Good job admitting our mistakes, Kyoya," I joked. "I respect that. But if it bothers you so much, I guess we could eat on the roof."

Kyoya gulped as if forcing down a little gratitude, and he said, his eyes a bit softer, "That's better."

I _knew_ he had a heart.

There were naturally a few people on the roof already, but, to my relief, our aggressive transfer student didn't seem to mind. I headed over to the shadiest spot, and sat down, looking back at Kyoya. Would he join me? Kyoya let out a tsundere-ish sigh, and walked over, sitting down just a few feet away from me. "I'm gonna take a nap," he informed me, tucking in one leg and resting his head on his knee. I smiled, knowing the other would probably kill me if I pointed out how cute he was as he held his arms around his knee.

I glanced up, suddenly, to see a yellow bird flying over to us. "Good luck with that; I think your bird saw you."

"Hibari, Hibari!" chirped the bird, as if on cue.

"How you holding up, Hibird?" the prefect whispered.

"Hibari, Hibari!" the bird tweeted, "Midori tanamiku, Namimori no! Dainaku shounaku, nami ga ii!" The prefect quietly thanked his bird, before telling it something in a quieter voice as it hopped on to his finger. The bird then flew off, and the prefect closed his eyes. I smiled as he began to relax, and I started to eat my lunch, although I ended up forfeiting the majority of it to the Guardian Character at my side. I couldn't help it. Yoru did tricks, I fed him. It was a very delicate and complex- heh- system.

After a while, I had resorted to watching the ravenette beside me doze, and I saw his face scrunch up once more, as if he was having a bad dream. I reached out, about to gently wake him, when he murmured something. I paused, suprised, when he repeated it, more clearly. "Ikuto..." I flushed a deep shade of red. We'd only met that morning! Since when was I showing up in mister head prefect's dreams? The name came repeatedly, in an almost begging tone, torturing me as I tried to resist taking the prefect into my arms. Lucky for me, lunch was only a half hour long, and soon, the bell tolled. I sighed, and reached over, placing my hand on the sleeping prefect's shoulder, and shaking gently. "Kyoya...," I sighed, "wake up, it's time for P.E. class." The prefect hummed in protest, his shoulders tensing slightly. "Kyoya, come on," I murmured.

"Nuu... m'tired...," the prefect rasped.

I steeled myself. "Kyoya," I said in a warning voice.

"Fine, dammit," the other mumbled. "You're so disrespectful." I shuffled slightly, and rolled my eyes.

"I just want to help you avoid getting detention after I took the fall for your last situation," I explained.

Hibari gradually stood up, and leaned against a wall, me following suit. "I was dreaming," he told me. I struggled to suppress my blush.

"Is that why you kept calling out my name?" I suggested, grinning. Kyoya shyly turned away.

"You were being an idiot," he sighed.

"... That so...," I mused, before realizing that we might be late. "Come on. P.E. class." I led Kyoya down to the ground level of the school, into the locker rooms, and we entered together. Then, a realization crossed my mind, and I shuddered. The mere thought that Kyoya would be wearing my spare uniform. I smirked, and said, "I have a spare uniform. We'll get you a new one tomorrow. Because today, we're late."

"No," Kyoya argued. "I'm not wearing your uniform."

"Don't be stubborn," I muttered, striding up to my locker and going through the combination. I opened it, and tossed the spare- no, my usual one, instead- into Kyoya's arms, before taking the bottom of my shirt and pulling it up over my head. Kyoya looked away at first, but I caught him checking me out a couple times. How nice. "Hello, mister googly-eyes, it's time to change," I chuckled, sending the prefect my seductive smirk. His cheeks just barely tinted color, and he began to unbutton his shirt, being rather sexy as he took it off and put on my uniform. His face darkened further as he took a deep breath, and I hid a smirk from him, silently approving his shyness. I started to tug down my pants, jumping slightly as Hibari's gaze flashed over my waist. Really, was he ten?

I tucked my shirt into my uniform, and as I told Kyoya to do the same, I noticed that he, too, had managed to change pants without me noticing. "All right, now, follow me," I said as the prefect finished tucking in his shirt. He came after me, still watching the world around him with those sharp hawk eyes of his. That bird- Hibird- fluttered down from the sky and landed on the prefect's head, singing the song it usually did. I could feel Yoru tense from his position on my shoulder, and I chuckled.

_'Scared, Yoru?'_ I teased.

_'Sh-shut up, nya!'_

As the bird's song closed, I noticed something peculiar in Kyoya's expression, and grinned as I figured it out. I reached over, and prodded his cheek, humming, "Oh? A smile? How rare." The prefect rolled his silvery irides.

"I like that song," he sighed. "It's the anthem from my old school." Aw, he was such a little geek.

"I figured," I chuckled. "You're so nerdy sometimes." Even though he probably didn't catch my drift, he recognized an insult, and he smacked me in the side, which I laughed off.

"All right, today we have a new student. A transfer from Namimori Middle: Hibari Kyoya," introduced the coach, his hand on Kyoya's shoulder. The prefect gave a short bow, amusing me further, and he headed back towards me, when the coach requested a lap around the field. I immediately grabbed on to Kyoya's arm, and yanked him along towards the field.

"What the hell, Ikuto?" I growled, my jacket flowing behind me as I ran.

"He said to take a lap. We're supposed to run for that, Kyoya. I know you'd hate to be in a crowd, so I wanted to beat the group for you," I explained. "Happy?"

Kyoya smirked. "I'm satisfied. Looks like you aren't quite as annoying as I thought." I couldn't resist smiling at him when he said that to me. I was overjoyed- Kyoya had said something relatively nice. As we returned to the coach, he suggested that we prepare for an upcoming three-legged race. I walked over to the set up lanes, and picked up a necktie that was on the ground.

"Put your foot next to mine," I ordered. Kyoya reluctantly did so, and I tied us together by our ankles, before standing upright again. I knew it was a child's game that the coach was just having us do for his birthday (he tended to torture us on special days), but I decided not to tell Kyoya that.

"So this is...," Kyoya started, "a three-legged race?"

"Uh huh," I replied. "Trust me, it won't be easy for us." I then realized that we'll need a little something for balance, and I leaned in, draping an arm across his shoulders.

Kyoya cringed, and muttered, "What the hell are you doing?"

"It's for balance. We have to make it to the end of that, and back," I explained. "It's going to be a real blast."

"Really." As we waited, the other students finished partnering together and getting ready, and it wasn't long before the coach was ready for some action.

"Ready! Set! GO!" he shouted. Kyoya took off like a horse, tripping me, and dragging me over the ground. I hissed at the pain from the friction of the ground, and tried fruitlessly to right myself.

"Kyoya!" I yelled. "Teamwork!" I groaned as he completely ignored me, before realizing that he'd reached the end of the line. Before I had a chance to tell him what to do, however, he whirled about and leapt over me. "I'm gonna trip you!" I protested. Once more, I was ignored, and I sighed, before pulling my ankle back, causing him to trip and land hard. I then scrambled to my feet and started running again, but Kyoya soon managed to get himself back up. We crossed the finish line together.

The coach, as expected was extremely amused by our win. "Good work, you two. Not quite how it's supposed to be done, but that doesn't matter. You did really good." Ha! He's never that happy with the winners! I looked at Kyoya, giving him my best smile, and he gave me just the tiniest hint of the same.

We'd won together.

**-End Chapter**

* * *

Please Review!


	6. And he Plays

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 6**

As we headed back towards the locker rooms, I noted to Kyoya that we'd done well, to which he growled to himself and told me not to trip him again. "It was just payback," I argued. "Don't forget that you dragged me along the ground for fifteen meters and some of the way back."

Kyoya sent a smirk my way, and I knew that he was satisfied. We headed back into the locker rooms, and changed once more, me quietly telling Yoru to hang out in my backpack for a while. He slid down my arm and snuck into my backpack, and I sighed as I finished straightening my shirt around my stomach. "Well, I'm glad your mood has been improving," I chuckled. "I mean, very slowly."

"Hn," Kyoya answered, starting for the door. I winced. If he should go out there, without a doubt my fangirls would be on him. I chased after him and grabbed his arm.

"Hey, don't leave so easily. There are girls outside who want to tear you apart," I warned him.

"Why would they bother to try that?" Kyoya argued.

"You know," I hinted, "I always choose a lucky girl to do P.E. activities with me. You got the spotlight." Before I knew it, I recieved a hard smack on the back of my head, and Kyoya hissed at me.

"Stop treating me like one of your slave women," he muttered.

"That's cold, Kyoya," I murmured, offended. "I don't mean it like that. And I don't have slaves; they do that on their own!"

"Uh huh." Kyoya held out his hand as his bird came down, but I was amused when the little guy landed instead on my shoulder.

"Hehe, this little guy's pretty cute," I mused, reaching up to pet the bird. "Hey, how did you find him? He's really tame." I then hinted, "Unlike you."

Kyoya folded his arms, a dark aura dominating the air. "I met him when I was being held prisoner by a bastard named Mukuro Rokudo. A man who exploited my weakness and destroyed me. Hibird, come." As if startled, the bird flew off of my shoulder on to Hibari's, tweeting cutely. He sighed. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, Hibird."

"Hibari, Hibari!"

"Hey, can I get an apology, too?" I protested, rubbing the sore part of the back of my head. Kyoya refused, of course, and, although hurt, I simply murmured, "Whatever. There are only two more periods left." We began to walk back to the main building. "History... and then... eh, orchestra."

"Orchestra?" the prefect repeated. "I don't play."

"We'll find something that works for you," I promised. "You'd probably be good at piano... then again we have a pianist. What do you think of cello?" Actually, I'd suggested cello because... well,_ I thought it'd be hot._

_'Ikuto, you're doing it again.'_

_'Zip it, Yoru!'_

"I think I'm not going to like that class. What do you play?" Kyoya asked. I grinned.

"Violin. I've been playing my whole life," I sighed, almost dreamily.

"I'm sure you have," Kyoya answered. We headed on to History class, and learned all about Buddhism. I personally liked Buddhist gardens very much, but Kyoya didn't seem so intrested.

However, orchestra was bound to be fun! I sat down in my first chair seat and moved my violin case into my lap. I tuned it with ease, then got my bow ready, and at last started on my G string, before zipping up the scale of G major, just starting my third octave when Hibari placed a hand on my shoulder. "What should I do?" he questioned. I shrugged.

"Tell the teacher you're knew," I suggested. The prefect sighed, and walked over to the music teacher, then began to talk to him. As they conversed, I reviewed our music for the end of the trimester concert, sighing as the teacher called me. "Ikuto! I believe you're this boy's friend?"

"That's right...," I muttered.

"Get him a rental instrument and start teaching him in the storage room. I'll give you today's music to practice." I thanked him, and took a few sheets of music off of my stand, before taking Kyoya back into the storage room.

"You're lucky I know base clef," I said, smiling. "You can play cello if you want."

"Why do you insist on me playing cello?" Kyoya complained. I shrugged, and tried to come up with an excuse.

"It suits you," I said. I got a chair out, and took a large case from the cello rack, then opened it, before drawing out the cello. "I think you'll like it," I told the ravenette.

"I think you're wrong," Kyoya retorted, rude as always. As the prefect sat down in the chair, I handed him the neck of the cello, and adjusted his bow, before handing it to him and teaching him the proper hold. Once he sort of had it, I requested that he play his A string. He played his C string instead, and I smirked.

"Your other A string," I chuckled. He played the right one this time, but the note itself was sour enough to make me cringe. "That's pretty out. All right... one second." I picked my violin up, and played my own A string, sighing with relief at my perfect tune. Kyoya caught my drift and started to play his A string, and I soon heard the screeching sharpness, and I reached over to the scroll of Kyoya's cello, then loosened the knob for the A string. He played it again, and, naturally, he was flat. I spent a solid six minutes tuning him, and sighed with relief.

"I don't like it," Hibari said. I would've smacked my forehead had I not been holding my violin, but I knew the prefect could get used to it. As such, I placed my violin up on my shoulder, and huffed up my pride.

"D major scale," I ordered. "Start on your D string and play a single quarter note every scale degree." Kyoya started to protest, but I began to play. The ravenette gradually caught up, and I realized that he was taking notice of his own mistakes. That was wonderful. We soon reached the top of the scale on our A string, and I resisted the urge to go another octave, instead coming back down with Kyoya. I stopped playing as we hit the third to last note, and Kyoya finished. All by himself; I was so proud. "Good," I praised. "Now, a half note."

We only worked D major, but I was more concerned with rhythms when it came to a man like Hibari Kyoya. I taught him whole notes, half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes, knowing I ought to save sixteenths and thirty-second notes for a while. As Kyoya slowly put away his cello, I started to learn his bird's song on my violin by ear, smirking to myself, but he didn't notice. It was then that I thought of a very important question.

"What was your old school like, Kyoya?"

"... It's a long story," he murmured. That caught my attention.

"I don't care," I answered. "Tell me what it was like."

Kyoya took a deep breath, and turned his hawk-like eyes to the ground."Well, first of all, it was my home," he began. "My parents had all kinds of enemies. They were shot and killed about five years ago, and I inherited the house. The principal was the only one who was really friendly with them, and he took me in before any of my distant family members could get to me- which isn't so bad, because none of my family were really useful. Nor did they care for me. The principal took me under his wing, and even kept the old house for when I was old enough. We had most of my things kept there. He made me the head of the Disciplinary Committee almost immediately. I was educated like a middle school student a couple years early, so I had to wait out the rest of the time until high school.

"... Just a year ago, the man who had fathered me for six years died in a car accident. The new principal and I didn't see eye-to-eye. He thought that it was simply absurd for a child to care so much about their school. And so, the second I turned seventeen, this new guy sent me off to this place. I don't think it was entirely legal, but it's not like I had anyone to speak out against it, so here I am."

I was suprised. To think, this average bully actually had a past not too unlike my own. I sighed, and folded my arms. "That must have been tough," I said.

"... It was...," Kyoya agreed. I smiled softly at the ravenette, before deciding to give him a little sliver of my own past. "My father left the house a long time ago," I told the prefect. "And my mom remarried. Heh. This _new_ man treats me like his errand boy. And my sister is treated just about the same."

"Sister?" Kyoya asked. I frowned.

_'Don't even, Kyoya,'_ I thought. _'She's crazy.'_

"Her name is Utau," I said. "She's a singer. She's a little weird, but... she's a sweet girl." Kyoya grunted to acknowledge me. The bell rang, and I picked up my bag. "Need me to walk you home?" I teased.

"That won't be neccessary," Kyoya replied. "But... I'll see you tomorrow." I felt a flutter of joy in my chest, and I smiled, holding out my hand.

"Sure," I said. The prefect stared at my hand, and I cooed, "Come on, Kyoya, I'm not going to hurt you." The ravenette frowned, then took my hand, and I gave it a friendly shake.

"Later," the prefect said, walking away.

"See you!" I called back as he left. As Kyoya left me, I fisted the hand I'd took his in, and I sighed. "He better not be another heartbreaker," I huffed.

**-End Chapter**

* * *

Please Review!


	7. Flashin' the Tail

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 7**

Just after leaving Kyoya, I headed into the cafeteria so that the teachers could exact their revenge on "my" misbehavior. I sat down at a table, by myself, feeling just a hint lonely. I didn't have any work to do, I wouldn't be bothered with sentences, so I ended up drawing again. At first, I'd intended to draw a scene of an average person, but, of course, it turned out as the new transfer student. I could help it! Something in him was just so much like Amu, my first crush. But then, I realized, this undoubtedly meant that I was homosexual. I reflected for a moment, then shook my head. Make that bisexual. But Kyoya, on the other hand? What was he?

"Yo, black cat!"

I jumped as I was called, and I looked behind me to see Kukai, who had climbed up into my grade, but didn't have any classes with me. He was a nice kid, with rusty brown hair, warm eyes, and a never-dying smile. A real friend of mine. "Kukai!" I greeted. "What landed you in this place?" The other slid into a seat at my table, laughing to himself.

"Dude, you won't believe this!" he said. "In that big tournament yesterday, Daichi character changed me, and I kicked the ball into the goal so hard that it tore through the net and broke a window!"

"Dang," I chuckled. "Wish I was there."

"You were ditching again, though, weren't you?" Kukai hinted, nudging me.

"Pfft. Maybe," I replied. Daichi, Kukai's guardian character, suddenly took refuge around my shoulders to say hi to Yoru. The two of us talked quietly all the way to the end of detention, at which point we headed back home.

On my way to school the next morning, I was so lucky as to find Kyoya. He was mid-yawn when I approached him. "Yo, Kyoya," I greeted. He muttered back his greeting, speeding up to avoid me, and, naturally, I took offense. _No one_ walked away from Tsukiyomi Ikuto. "Hey, what's the rush?" I protested, placing a hand on his shoulder, which he immediately brushed off.

"I'm just tired," he sighed. I suddenly thought of Amu as I saw him, and I realized that I just had to take Kyoya to see her. "Well come here. I want to introduce you to a friend of mine," I told the prefect, pulling on his arm.

"Not intrested," he replied in a stubborn tone. I sighed.

"Aw, come on. You'll like her. Promise."

"I doubt it," Kyoya answered, "Especially if she's another of your slaves."

"No, she's not, actually," I said, rolling my eyes. Kyoya at last let me pull him into the ninth years' hallway, me grinning the entire way. "Amu!" I called, "Come out come out wherever you-"

"Ikuto! What are you doing here?" Oh, that was most definitely her voice. "This is the ninth years' halls."

"Oh, can't we all get along nicely?" I teased- ah, how I had missed teasing her. The nostalgia clouding my mind almost made me lose my purpose here.

"Ugh, you perverted cat," Amu groaned, stepping back. Kyoya's suddenly tension beside me reminded me why I was there. I glanced at him, thinking, _'You jealous?_' even though I was certain he wasn't.

"Hehe, now, now, don't call me that," I told Amu, "you'll make me look bad in front of Kyoya." I brought the transfer student closer to us. "He just transferred here. He's a bit of a bad boy, but doesn't he look nice?" I tried not to daydream about it.

"Look nice?" Amu retorted. "What the heck? ... Ugh... Kyoya, right? I'm Amu." As she held out her hand, Kyoya stepped back as if revolted by her. Was he... really _jealous?_ I decided to help him out.

"All right, Kyoya, are you gonna stand there like a clown, or are you going to say something?" I said, but it came out much sharper than I wanted it to.

"... Hello," Hibari muttered, looking away. It was almost as though he was physically ill.

"Heh, he's a strange case; I'm still trying to figure him out," I covered for him. Amu reluctantly agreed.

"Amu-chan!" And there he was. _Hotori Tadase._ That little king who had stolen Amu from me. Well, he wouldn't have Kyoya, too! ... I guessed. "Class is about to start," Tadase said, before turning to me. "Oh, hi, Ikuto-nii." To avoid further jealousy from Kyoya, I winked at the prefect.

"Kyoya, this is Tadase," I introduced. "He's sweet on my Amu."

"Ah- Ikuto-niisan!" Tadase complained. Amu sighed.

"I'm not your girlfriend, Ikuto, so stop treating me like it!" Amu complained. _Ah... it still hurt._

"I'm leaving," Hibari spat, walking away. I looked back at him, confused. I had just begun to think it was getting lighthearted... I guess he was kind of the sensitive type.

"Sorry, guys, I'll catch you later," I sighed, before chasing after Kyoya. "Hey, what happened there? Was that too much of a crowd for you?"

"That, and it felt weird," Kyoya answered. "There's something up with that two- and you, too, when you're around them- that just seems off."

"Well, Kyoya, that's probably just because they're my close friends," I replied, "I don't act like a jerk around them, not ever. Because I like them. _Love_ them, even." Kyoya suddenly looked offended, and I winced.

_'He's really... jealous?'_

_'Heehee~ Ikuto's found a new tree to start barking up!'_ Yoru cheered. I brushed off his remark, even though I kinda knew it was true, and I tried to smile at Kyoya, but still felt a little awkward.

_His darkness lured me in..._

_And I fell for another trap._

* * *

We headed to the same place as we had the previous day. "So," Kyoya began, sitting down and taking out a lunch, "these friends of yours. How did they become your friends?"

I hummed, thinking, when I recalled that I'd met Amu all thanks to Aruto leaving the house. "Well I met Amu through my stepfather... oh- uhh, it's... it's complicated, okay, Kyoya? Can I not talk about it?" Right, I had been ordered to steal her heart's eggs, and that's what begun that whole ordeal. But I never saw a guardian character around Kyoya- unless I were to count the bird- so I figured he wouldn't understand. Kyoya grunted, obviously frustrated with me.

_'So sorry, Kyoya,'_ I thought.

_'Hey, Ikuto? Are those... sardines?'_ I sighed, and took one of the little fish, before passing it to Yoru, who was on the ground beside me. But I soon realized that I had caught Kyoya's attention, and I tried to hide the guardian character, but I was too late.

"Ikuto, what was that?" the prefect asked, leaning over to me to the point where I could smell his rather appealing sushi breath. Apparently, I squished Yoru a little too hard trying to hide him, and the poor thing complained.

"Ikuto, that hurts, nya!" I swallowed, seeing Kyoya's angry face. But I soon realized that Kyoya was almost sitting in my lap, and a more _pressing_ issue emerged.

"It's nothing," I lied. Kyoya at last lunged at me, trying to grab my arms and pin me down, and I struggled with him for what felt like a really long time. Unfortunately, he managed to quickly take control of my hands, and he held my wrists down above my head, Yoru having already fled. He leaned in, inspecting me further with those sharp, steel eyes, a low growl arising in his throat. I could feel my face burning with embarassment over our position, even though I knew it wasn't his intention to put me in this situation. Who _wouldn't_ freak out after getting a glimpse at Yoru, anyway?

Finally, Kyoya backed off of me, cursing, "Damn."

"No kidding," I breathed, rubbing my sore wrists. "You're pretty strong, Kyoya."

"Duh," Kyoya muttered, returning to his lunch. "Whatever that was, I'm going to find out." I decided after a while that maybe it wouldn't be so bad. If he knew about and accepted Yoru, there wouldn't be anything holding us back, right? I smirked.

"It was Yoru," I said. "That's his name."

Kyoya seemed to go over it in his mind for a bit, before sighing, "A fairy?"

_'I'll kill him, nya!'_

"Don't call him that," I said, "and no. I'll show you another time, Kyoya, not while we're at school. Okay?" He grunted in agreement, and I smiled. "Good."

* * *

When school was out, Kyoya personally approached me to say, "I'm ready for you to walk me home." I broke down laughing for a good few moments, but that happiness ended as Kyoya decided to smack me on the head. Hard. "I want to find out about that thing," he stressed.

"All right, Kyoya," I agreed, before getting a hint of mischief and hinting, "but don't expect me to purr for you."

"What?"

"Nothing~," I taunted. As we left the school, Yoru came out and took my shoulder, Hibari's bird doing the same exact thing as it descended from the sky.

"Hibird... when did you get out of the house?" Hibari murmured.

"Hehe, must've picked the lock, nya," Yoru giggled. I smiled, remembering that Yoru was indeed quite the locksmith. Kyoya was intruiged by Yoru. He eventually reached his hand out, but just before he could close it over him, my guardian moved back a little, making Kyoya's hand land on me instead. He looked frustrated.

"You're pretty close, Kyoya," I teased. He practically hissed at me.

"Ikuto~ Can he really see me?" Yoru asked.

"I wonder...," I chuckled. "I think so." Yoru gave another quiet _'nya_,' when Hibari's bird swept over to my shoulder.

"Ito! Ito!" it chirruped. I thought it was adorable, but Hibari suddenly looked as though his boyfriend had dumped him- right, he did that when his bird tried to interact with me. He even paused for a moment.

"Hibird," he breathed in a classic betrayed voice, before catching back up.

"Ne, Ikuto, that bird is creeping me out," Yoru said, crawling to my other shoulder.

"It can't see you, so just stay calm. It's not like it'll bite your tail or anything." Yoru quietly agreed. We continued walking in silence, and I prepared myself. It had been a while since I'd_ flashed my tail_ in front of anyone, so I hoped Kyoya would like it.

And if he did... _maybe he'd even pet me a little._

-**End Chapter**

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Please Review!


	8. Humiliation and Forgiveness

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 8**

* * *

We soon got to Kyoya's house, and he let me sit down on the sofa to explain. "I'm a man who doesn't like to be chained down," I explained. "And being chained down has been my life up until recently. My stepdad cares only for his kid, not me, so I've been his errand boy since way back. He even used me, harnassing my power and my energy to try and lure out the most magical of all the heart's eggs- the embryo."

"Uh... okay, heart's eggs?"

"All children hold an egg in their soul," I told him. "When you've more or less discovered a dream, you may birth a guardian character. Mine is Yoru. As a child, I was able to roam about and play my violin freely. I would play my music as the sun rose, and it felt spectacular. Around then, Yoru hatched, and those feelings became even more pronounced as the men from my father's company stole me from freedom and turned me into a slave. I almost lost Yoru around when that man was controlling me... You've got one too, somewhere in there," I said, reaching out and touching Kyoya's chest. "I'll bet there's a beautiful dream somewhere in you... some beautiful, beautiful dream..." He grabbed my wrist, and shoved it back.

"All right, let me get this straight," he began. "You have this dream to become free of any binds, and somehow those feelings resulted in a fairy."

"Guardian character," I muttered. "It's all very fluffy and weird- I know that. But it's the solid truth."

"Got it, nya!" Yoru cheered, taking Kyoya's prefect badge. I sighed, and flicked his nose for the umpteenth time.

"Stealing is _wrong_, Yoru," I reprimanded. I returned the badge to Kyoya, who nodded.

"Okay, I get the gist of it. It's still really weird, though." I smirked.

"I have to show you something else," I said, nudging Yoru.

"Character Change!" the guardian cheered, and the cat ears and tail appeared on my head. Hibari looked disturbed, so I decided to show off just a bit. I waved my tail a little, gave him the kitten eyes...

"All right, out of my apartment; I can only take so much of this," Kyoya protested. I paused. I felt like a fool, but I couldn't help making it even worse for myself.

"Come on, don't act like you don't think this part isn't totally sexy-," I tried to insist, but Kyoya nearly threw me out of the apartment, me landing painfully on the ground as he slammed the door. I was hurt, embarassed, and confused. It was always like this! I would get a little flirty, and the moment I crossed some imaginary line, I'd be thrown out. Like when I'd tried to share that ice cream with Amu and had gotten into a fight. Or when I'd taken a shower at Amu's place and her mom freaked out. Or when I played the violin to soothe Tadase's dog in its last moments, and was blamed for its death. It was constant agony. I was a friend, and nothing more, for anyone.

I _hated_ it.

I walked home, Yoru hanging on to my shoulder, and I slipped into my room without making a noise. I lied down on the bed, frustrated, and I felt my eyes watering. I turned onto my side, and began to softly cry, having humiliated myself_ for the last time._

* * *

The next day, I didn't see Kyoya until Algebra class, our first period. "Morning Kyoya," I greeted as I took my seat. "So how did you sleep, knowing my secret?" I had reedemed myself the previous night. I promised myself I wouldn't be humiliated again.

"Stop that," he muttered, shoving me back. "I told you not to flirt with me."

"I'm just playing with you, Kyoya; you know that," I said. He grunted, and I became a little worried. I thought for what to say, then whispered, "Kyoya, we're friends, right?"

"I have no friends," he answered harshly. I tried so hard to brush it off.

"Sure thing, buddy."

"Don't call me that," Kyoya snapped.

"Quiet," the teacher called, "Now, everyone. Who can give me the first step in solving-"

Suddenly, there was a noise as someone walked in. It was the principal. "I'm sorry, Ms. Satou, can I borrow Kyoya for a moment?"

"Oh, sure," she answered, glancing back at me. "But what's this so early in the morning?"

"Someone claiming to be his guardian came here," he said, "He just wants a word with Kyoya."

"All right," she said, "Go on, Kyoya."

"Can I go with him?" I asked.

"Gracious, Ikuto, you aren't his brother. You need to learn like everyone else."

"But-"

"No buts."

And so, I sat in the boring class, frustrated. I drummed my fingers against the desk, just waiting, fantasizing about Kyoya.

* * *

Thankfully, Kyoya soon returned, and we ended up leaving first period not long after. "So was it seriously your 'guardian?'" I asked.

"Hell no. I told you," Hibari sighed. "My parents are dead, Namimori's principal too. I have no guardian." Guilty, I hung my head. I was such a fool. Bringing up his dead parents... I mean, if I were him, I'd kick myself hard. But then, a gentle hand landed on my shoulder. "It's okay," he said. "It was a typical question. I was relieved. He didn't resent me. He didn't hate me._ Kyoya forgave me._

"Thanks, Kyoya...," I sighed.

And school resumed as normal.

**-End Chapter**

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	9. I've Fallen

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter Nine**

I don't know why, but Kyoya seemed to be either avoiding me, or getting to school just as the bell rang. I hoped he wasn't taking another route... that would be irritating. Why ever would he _avoid_ a guy like me, anyway?

Anyway, I didn't see him until first period again. He walked into the class as I was tying my shoe. "Morning, Kyoya," I greeted. He didn't respond, instead just took his seat, so I decided to pull the kitten eyes on him. I turned and stared at him with my saddest gaze, but he just glared at me, as if offended by my greeting. I reluctantly turned back as the rest of the class entered the classroom, just as the teacher gave an announcement.

"Everyone, we have _another _transfer student today! Aren't we just the luckiest class ever? Mukuro-kun, please come in!" An odd kid with hair in a rather pineapplistic form, with a green coat, green pants, and a light, blue shirt decided to show. He strode into the class all fancy and turned right on his heel, before bowing so low I could've stepped on his dumb, little head.

"Rokudo Mukuro," he introducted himself, "I'm absolutely pleased to make your acquaintance." He then looked up, right at the prefect sitting beside me, and he said in a smooth voice, "And I'm so delighted to see you again, dear Kyouya." What? He knew... he knew _my _Kyoya? I was shocked. I'd never heard of this- no... wait..._ 'I met him when I was being held prisoner by a bastard named Mukuro Rokudo. A man who exploited my weakness and destroyed me. Hibird, come.'_ THAT Mukuro Rokudo? Could it be?

"Ah, it's so nice that you already have a friend in the class! You too, Kyoya, you just recently transferred! Then, Mukuro-kun, please take the open seat in the back." It might've been my imagination, but I thought I saw fear in Kyoya's eyes as Mukuro stepped forward, walking with a regal gait, and placed his hand on Kyoya's shoulder.

"With pleasure," rolled off of his lips as he slid into his seat. As a group of girls began to speak of this transfer student as they once had me, I realized that there was something wrong about that man. He had to be the one that Kyoya was talking about. He was dangerous. My suspicions became my certainties as Kyoya requested a moment with the teacher. The very _moment_ they had left the classroom, Mukuro stood upright. "Everyone, I'd like you to know a little something about our guest, Kyouya," he said. "He's a disgusting, cruel child whose parents were killed at a young age. And as you can imagine, he's suffered much trauma. He's a _repulsive_ creature. Not to mention his little fetish for metallic weapons. You know he fights with tonfas? Kufufu... kufuahaha! He doesn't _JUST_ fight with them, you know..."

"Hey, back off!" I shouted, standing up. "Kyoya's just a little tsundere. There's nothing about him that is so low. And at least he doesn't have a head shaped like a pineapple." Mukuro glared at me, although he still had that odd, creepy grin on his face, and he held out his hand, instantly, a trident materialized within it. He slashed it at me, and I gasped as a cut was embedded in my cheek. Offended, I Character Changed, and began to dodge. Students leapt from their seats and watched in horror as Mukuro continued to lunge at me with his trident, scraping me in several places due to my trouble with all of the desks. The fight continued for a bit more than a minute when the teacher walked in. I could barely hear her voice telling us to stop, though, because I only thought about one thing.

_Defending my friend._

Before I knew it, I had been dragged into the health office, Hibari looking down at me with those angry, hawk eyes of his. "Are you going to tell me what happened?" he asked, clearly frustrated.

"That guy started saying some really rotten things about you," I protested. "I'm sure most of them were made up, but... it was just really wrong. Things about your behavior, your attitude... ... your sexuality, too."

"I spoke only the truth," that kid cut in, "kufufufufu."

"So I stood up for you," I began, "rose my voice at him, and before I knew it, all of this happened. That idiot's stronger than he looks."

"As are you, cat child," returned the pineapple. I glared at him.

"All right," Hibari sighed. "I'll be leaving soon. I'm taking a sick day." I couldn't help but notice Mukuro's grin widen. "So I don't want you two killing each other. That's MY job."

"Yes, Kyouya," that pineapple practically purred.

"Whatever," I muttered. It was then that the principal headed in.

"All right, Kyoya, this better not be another trick," he said. Although confused, I continued to listen.

"It was never a trick. Mukuro's right here," Hibari explained. "He transferred to the school."

"Ugh... Well, Mr. Cavallone is here, and he seems absolutely over the moon to see you. So, come along." I murmured a goodbye to Kyoya as he left with the principal. I almost felt as though my only protection had left.

"Hey, there, mister black-cat child," Mukuro began, leaning in towards me. "Do you know what happened between Hibari Kyouya and myself?"

"No...?" I murmured.

"Well, I was looking for the Mafia boy who Hibari just happened to be affiliated with. I had a list of the strongest people in Namimori, and we were destroying those people one by one," he said. I quivered. My father used to be on that list, but I was sure he had already left Namimori. "Kyouya came looking for me, to avenge his fallen classmates. And so... I _destroyed_ him, as well."

"What do you mean, destroy?" I questioned. Mukuro's grin increased further, and his eyes grew narrow, and mean.

"Kyouya has a severe cherry blossom... allergy," he said, although he sounded like he was hiding something. "And so, around cherry blossoms, he cannot stand. Once I had him on his knees, the plan was already half over. All I needed to do was make him beg." Images of the prefect's ravaged body coarsed through my mind, and I clutched my head, feeling like I had when my stepfather took control of me. "Get it? I broke every last bone of the sorry little bird, and sent him crawling to the hospital on his stomach. And, fufufu... that's not all that happened between us... Do you want to know the grisly details... cat boy? The things he did..."

I heard Kyoya's voice outside at just that moment, and I got myself out of the health office, running up to him. "We need to talk," I said.

"No time," Kyoya snapped.

"No, we need to. Really, that guy is creeping me out-," I said, before noticing some foreigner standing beside Kyoya. "... Wait a second, who's this?"

The foreigner gave me this ridiculous grin. "Hello," he greeted, "I'm a friend of Kyoya's. You can call me the Bucking Horse." I stared at him, kind of disgusted. What kind of title was 'Bucking Horse,' anyway? Well, _I_ certainly wasn't thinking about horses.

"I'm... Ikuto," I finally managed. "Kyoya, what's your relationship with that bastard, Mukuro?"

"You know Mu-," the foreigner started.

"He's my rival," Hibari answered. "Has been for a few years."

"Hm...," I hummed, not entirely believing him. I glared at the pineapple through the health office, but he just grinned and waved at me. "He keeps saying some really, really wrong-"

"Ignore him. He just wants attention," Kyoya answered. He turned to the blonde beside him. "Let's go."

"Kyoya," I began, wanting to tell him it was okay. That I would be beside him, and that Mukuro couldn't do anything to him ever again. But when he looked at me, I chickened out. "No... nevermind," I sighed. "I'll... I'll see you tomorrow..."

"Okay, later," Kyoya said, before walking away. I stared after him, my eyes glistening with the stress. _'Oh, Kyoya,'_ I thought.

_'I think I'm in love with you.'_

**-End Chapter**

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Please Review!


	10. Pain for Love

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 10**

* * *

The next day, I found Kyoya's apartment, and I couldn't help myself. I approached the house, and character changed, before hopping up onto the trash can. I peered in the window, and gasped. Kyoya seemed to be sleeping, and that... horse... guy or whatever... was sitting on the bed, leaning over, almost as if to kiss Kyoya. I felt jealousy burning in my heart, and anger, too.

_'That dirty bastard!' _Yoru cried, making me even madder_. 'How dare he mess with OUR Kyoya!'_

I leaned against the window as I realized that the prefect was waking up. The prefect said something to Dino, and the blonde gave his reply, clearly complimenting the prefect. But just as I leaned in a little closer to press my ear to the window, something poked me in the ankle, and I yelped, stumbling back. The trash cans crashed to the ground, as did my head, and I saw a cute little hedgehog, which must've been what poked me. I was about to help him away, when his spines expanded, jabbing into my hands. I stood, then hurried on out of there, but soon felt dizziness taking me over, and I wavered, before collapsing. My head and arm were sore from hitting a few rocks from my fall, my hands twinging from the wounds in them. I sighed, my vision a little blurry, when a gorgeous voice broke through.

"Did Mukuro beat you up and dump you here?" My attention snapped behind me, to the source of the sound, and I found Kyoya standing above me, watching me with those eyes that now comforted me a bit. But I quickly realized he was waiting for a reply.

"Uhh, yeah, yeah, that's what happened, haha," I laughed nervously.

"You're laughing after being given a beating?" Hibari snickered. "Damn, you're weird." He paused for a moment, leaving me hurt, but then, he said quietly, "Are you all right?"

"I guess... It wasn't that bad," I replied. Kyoya suddenly dipped in, and suddenly sniffed my neck, his nose actually brushing against my throat. I felt my face catch fire. "Kyoya?" I whispered.

"You smell like garbage," Kyoya spat. I glanced away, thinking hard, then came up with an idea.

"My dad got me cologne," I lied.

"Your cowardly father who ran away? Or your bastard of a stepfather? Or was it your mother?" the ravenette snapped. I looked down, ashamed for some reason, and I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

"My mother's dead, Kyoya," I sighed. "My stepfather did."

"When did she die?" Kyoya asked, clearly a tad insensitive. I had thought that we were alike in at least this manner.

"I was nine," I murmured. "Kyoya, I don't want to talk about this."

"Weakness," the prefect spat. "I don't care about my parents."

"You weren't stuck with a bastard after they died!" I protested, my eyes starting to water. "And didn't they die when you were really young?"

"I was eleven, Ikuto," Kyoya shot back. "And they didn't give a damn about me." I was on the verge of breaking down right there, and I clenched my fists.

"Well my parents did!" I yelled. "My parents loved me! My father was the only one who I remember putting a hand on my shoulder, and saying everything was going to be okay! And my mother was a sweet woman who was heartbroken when he left! Stop acting like it's so easy to forget that love!"

There was a temporary silence, me just barely holding back those bitter tears, when Kyoya made it even worse. "Why would someone who loved you ever-so-much decide to walk away, hm?"

"Shut up," I muttered. "You don't know what it's like...!" I was so disgusted. How dare he challenge me like that! I thought we were friends! I raised my arm to slap him hard, but his hand closed around it, keeping me from the only momentary satisfaction I could get.

"We're going to be late," he said. "Let's go." I tried to let go of Kyoya's remarks, and instead thought about later.

"Take your cello home today," I mumbled. "I'll help you practice... it's Friday." Hibari grunted in agreement. But moments later, he decided to go out and attack me again.

"Parents aren't that great."

"They take care of you, they feed you," I argued. "What's NOT great about them?"

"They abandon you and never care when you have real problems," Hibari said. "Feh. Personally I think you're just their fool."

"Huh?"

"You're the idiot who fell into their game," the prefect snickered.

"No, I'm not!" I replied as we approached the school. "Hell, Kyoya. If anything, you're the idiot!" I would've been fine ending it there, but...

"Oh, really?" he said, in such a snide tone.

"Yes, really!" I shouted, standing in his way. "You push everyone away, you're insensitive, and you don't know when to shut up!"

Kyoya stood up taller as he snarled back, "If I weren't the way I was, I'd be naive and stupid, just like you! You think that the whole world will just bow down to you, just because you're freaking parents left you! News flash, Ikuto! My parents left me, and no one has ever cared! The world doesn't work that way!"

"Your parents died, Kyoya!" I snapped. "And don't think like that! I never asked for anyone to bow down to me. If anything, I want to be left alone!"

"You're an idiot!" Hibari repeated, harshly. "You can't stand to be alone, and you know it!"

"Well, maybe I can say the same about you! You bastard!" I shouted. I clenched my fist, and swung it back to hit that jerk square on the face, when two people latched on to each of my arms and pulled me back. I was full-on crying at that point, but I don't think anyone noticed my tears. I couldn't believe him. Kyoya... beautiful, tsundere Kyoya..._ was absolutely heartless._ "Ikuto, calm down!" shouted Amu's voice.

"Ikuto-niisan, please!" which must've been Tadase. I was still enraged, and I whirled about.

"That jerk thinks he can just step all over me!" I snarled. "He deserves a hard, HARD hit for all of it."

"Calm down, Ikuto," Amu said, her voice suprisingly scolding. "You don't need to pick on him. He just transferred here, so he's probably under a whole lot of stress."

_'Stress?'_ Yoru repeated, astonished.

"Yeah, Ikuto-nii. Amu's right."

I was frustrated. Even... my friends? "Fine, damn it! But you guys ought to know that it's his fault, harping on my dad like that."

"Ikuto," Kyoya began, stepping towards me. "I'm sorry, okay?" I was taken back slightly. Wasn't it a bit late for that apology? But then, seeing the apology in his face, I felt my heart throb with sadness, and my gaze softened.

"I'm sorry, too," I whispered, "and I forgive you."

"Don't worry about me," Kyoya returned. "I... I wasn't hurt like you were." He then reached forward, and his hand landed gently on my shoulder, giving it a slight, warm rub as he breathed, "Everything's going to be okay." I felt so much admiration for this extreme tsundere-ness as my body completely relaxed beneath his hand.

"If you say so," I murmured. I glanced back at Amu and Tadase. "We're... we're cool, you two. Thanks."

"Really, you just get so upset so easily. You're such a loose cannon," Amu sneered, before leaving.

"Heh, I could say the same to you," I tried to answer as she walked away. The bell rang, and Kyoya and I headed in for class, me brushing against him the entire way, nearly purring for him as we went.

**-End Chapter**

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	11. First Kiss

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 11**

During homeroom, while Kyoya was paying attention, I wrote on a note 'To Everyone But Hibari Kyoya,' and scribbled down my plan.

_'Today, at lunch, I want to be alone with Kyoya. Those who show up on the roof get on my bad side. And no one wants my bad side.'_

This was it. I was going to claim those delicate, yet sharp lips as my own, and Kyoya couldn't stop me. I was ready-_ so ready_ to take that precious kiss. I wouldn't dare try this with Amu, but... he wasn't her. I'd been fantasizing about that moment since he told me everything was all right. I wanted to be his forever. I wanted to be with Kyoya... even if he chained me down, I wouldn't care. That was how positive I was that I loved him.

I told everyone to pass my message on to everyone in their next to classes, successfully getting everyone in the school to know.

* * *

_At lunch..._

"Ikuto," he began, "I realize that you're a supposed 'cat,' but do you like small animals?"

"Hmm... define small animals," I answered.

"Like... birds, rodents... hedgehogs," he said. I mused about the irony of him mentioning hedgehogs, since I was stabbed by one earlier.

"Well," I began, "Yoru likes to chase mice- which is awfully cliche, but I guess I don't really mind them. Hedgehogs are cute. Why?"

"Just wondering," Kyoya answered. I took notice of someone coming out on the roof, and I sighed, throwing a potato chip in their direction. I nodded towards Kyoya to prove a point, and they turned and left.

"Heh," I snickered. "Want something done, do it yourself..."

"What was that all about?" Kyoya questioned. I shuffled a little, my cheeks darkening.

"I passed a note around the school to tell everyone to leave us alone on the roof," I eventually answered. Kyoya raised his eyebrows it what seemed to be approval.

He repeated, "Everyone?"

"The entire homeroom class all passed it on to their second period classes," I explained, "and then all of those people told their third period classes. That's how."

Kyoya took a moment to nod, then said, "Thank you."

"... Actually," I started, Kyoya, I had a reason for doing this."

"Mm, I don't mind," he answered. "I'm just glad that you were making sure that there weren't any crowds..."

I could almost feel my blush darkening as I sighed, "Kyoya, my reason..."

He glanced up at me, and grunted out, "Hn?" I leaned in to him, and at last claimed what was so rightfully mine.

His lips were soft, and so much gentler than one might've expected, but for me, they were perfect. Unable to take his gaze, I closed my eyes, and just went along with this precious moment. If he should accept it, we could be more than friends. If he should reject it... well... I'd hate to see what he did to me afterwards. If a man such as myself and a man such as he should not be together, though, I'm sure something would've interfered in my bold attempt to show my afffection.

It was a while in when I finally decided that I wanted deeper. I shyly slipped my tongue from my mouth, and combed it over Hibari's lips. Naturally, he refused to let me past his teeth, so I reached up, and softly brushed my hand against his cheek. How a man could be so cold, yet so delightfully warm, was one of the most amazing things I ever knew. That man, that ravenous, destructive man. He with the repulsive attitude, unfeeling heart, and empty soul, he who I was now taking claim of.

_He who was Hibari Kyoya._

Two hands were placed on my shoulders, and my heart fluttered, but all for naught. He pushed me back, and I reopened my eyes. He stammered, his face flushed, "Ikuto... that... that's not... you shouldn't be... I... just..." He struggled to catch his breath after I'd assaulted his lips. I felt like a fool, seeing now his face, and the emotions written across it.

Rejection.

Confusion.

Repulsion.

_Anger._

My heart sank lower than it had when Amu chose Tadase over myself. I felt as though I'd dragged myself into another false predicament... I felt disgusting. Like... a _pervert_. Hey, everyone had called me one. By then, who was to say it wasn't true? After all of that... "I'm sorry, Kyoya," I murmured, my eyes filling with sorrow and blurring my vision. "I... needed to."

"You love that Amu girl," Hibari spat. "Don't try to weave yourself into me, too." I looked up at him, stunned. Was I still sweet on Amu? No, no, _no!_ I was a man who could take rejection... to an extent.

"Kyoya...," I began. "Amu turned me down a long... long time ago, and she's Tadase's girlfriend.

"I'm not someone you can just use for comfort and throw away, Ikuto," Hibari snarled. "You better go to a doctor and make sure your head's on properly. Look at me, Ikuto. I'm a man."

"I know that," I protested. "I've always known that."

"No," Hibari denied. "The first time you saw me, I was a girl to you. I suppose that image got stuck in your perverted feline mind, hm?" I looked down, ashamed. I didn't- I knew I hadn't thought that way. Still, it made me burn with humiliation, and self-loathing. I wanted this... yet... I've wanted a lot of things, and very rarely do they turn up pleasant.

"Kyoya, please, listen," I whimpered. "This morning... I was so angry. I was so upset with you... and then... what you said to me back there..." Yes, that had thrown me over the edge.

_Everything was going to be all right._

Hibari stood upright, his face still burning with rage. "This is what you cleared the roof for?" he muttered. "So you could kiss me."

"Kyoya, you're just...," I began, but unable to finish, _'such a sweet man at heart.'_

"What? I'm just what?" Kyoya shouted. "You've crossed the line, Ikuto. I don't want to love. I don't need to love. I don't want anything to do with someone who loves me. So you better get it all in order, because I'm not gay, and I don't love you." I felt my heart shatter in my chest, and as Kyoya strutted down from the roof, I reached up, and wiped at my eyes sadly.

He didn't want to love. _He didn't want to love me._

He didn't need love. _He didn't need to love me._

He didn't want anything to do with someone who loves him._ He didn't want anything to do with me._

'Get it all in order,_' because I must've been insane to think about him like that._

Because he was _not_ gay.

_And he didn't love me._

**-End Chapter**

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Please Review!


	12. Beaten With Words

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 12**

_Morning_...

I walked up to Hibari's apartment, scared, and approached the door, then, before I could change my mind, I hit the doorbell. My violin in its case was slung over my shoulder, and my body was aching from last night, when I had cried myself to sleep... but not until two in the morning. Now, I was here, because I needed to see him. I needed to practice with him... even if that was all I could do.

"Who the hell is it...?" The door swung open as the low voice came out, and my eyes widened to the sight before me. Kyoya was shirtless, displaying proudly his toned, muscled chest, and the amazing features of his torso. I almost bawled my eyes out there just thinking about him.

"Kyoya... I wanted to practice," I sighed.

The prefect looked up, at last meeting my eyes, and he growled a very foul word that I hadn't heard him use up until then. "Sure, whatever, come in... I get enough of you during the week," he mumbled.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "I mean... you're not even fully dressed. Did I wake you?" He came back from getting a chair from the kitchen, and he started to unpack his cello.

"I'm fine," he insisted. "I'm fine... We sure left some untied ends, yesterday, hm?"

I admired him for having the courage to bring that up. Absolutely_ cruel_. "Oh, yeah," I said with just a hint of sarcasm. I quickly unpacked my violin, and sighed, "I'm tuned, so you can tune off of me, if you want." He agreed. I stood, and we played our A string together, then checked our other strings by playing two at a time- a technique that I'd taught myself after years of long tuning sessions. After I'd tuned my E string, however, that foreigner who I'd seen with Kyoya stepped over, cradling his forehead.

"Yikes, that is one screechy string," he chuckled. I rolled my eyes, wishing that guy was too scared to show his face. Of course not. _He_ wasn't rejected by Kyoya.

"Hello," I said, just to be polite. I glanced back at Kyoya. "He's your roommate now, too?"

"Don't get any stupid ideas," Kyoya kind-of reassured. "Dino, sit down. You wanted to hear me play."

"Sure did," the blonde answered, grinning like a fool as he took the couch. I snorted contemptfully, then turned to Kyoya once more.

"Start with C major?" I suggested. Kyoya nodded.

"Mm'kay."

"Did you learn the second octave?" I asked.

"Mm hm," he hummed.

"Let me hear it."

"Mm hm."

He started to play, but as he reached the second octave, I realized that he was just following the tapes with hardly any sense of tune. "Kyoya, F and C naturals," I told him, my eyebrows furrowed. What happened last night to make him so groggy this morning? I had gotten four hours of sleep- and I would never mess up on a simple C major scale!

"Oh, yea_aaahhh,"_ Kyoya breathed, his face a bit pale.

"You don't look well, Kyoya," I persisted, shifting my bow into my other hand. "Really... are you all right?"

"Uh huh...," Kyoya answered.

"He's just sore from last night," said Dino, before breaking into laughter. This almost goofy grin stretched out on Kyoya's face then, and I paused, confused. Sore from doing _what_, exactly?

"You're the one who kept bumping into stuff," the ravenette answered. It at last dawned on me. Kyoya and Dino... they weren't just roommates. They were lovers. _I should have seen it coming!_

I flushed red with humiliation, then went to pack away my violin. How could he play me like this? How could he turn me down, saying he wasn't intrested in or needed love or anyone who loved him? Saying he wasn't gay? And then... to sleep with another man? How could he... break my heart so easily? I was crushed.

"What's wrong?" asked the foreigner, still giggling. "You're not into that stuff yet?"

"I'm leaving," I spat. "I don't want to hear about that." _I don't want to hear about last night, and what you two did with each other_. I strode out of there, and slowed as I got out of the apartment, my eyes filling once more with tears.

This was it. He couldn't break me any more than this. I was done trying to be with him. If he was... such a heartbreaker, how would I be able to ever stay by his side?

I didn't want to be hurt any more. I thought he was done when he called me an idiot. I thought he was done when he turned me down. And then, since he'd committed the ultimate act of intimacy with someone else, I was positive he couldn't make things any worse... at all. Kyoya, _my_ Kyoya, was now Dino's Kyoya. And I would never have him, nor any other man or woman in the world. If I tried, I feared I'd never love again.

_Because I was done with pain._

Even as I thoguht that, I wondered how I'd be able to do this. Amu was in another year, so I never had to see her and remember. But _he _was in every last one of my classes. I was going to see his face every day, every hour, for the rest of my life.

Unless..._ I started ditching classes again._

"Hey! Ikuto, stop!" came that sinfully beautiful voice. I stopped in my tracks, a tear rolling down my cheek.

"What do you want?" I asked, weakly. I couldn't look upon his features, should I fall for his trap once more.

"It's not what you think," Hibari whispered, "I have a hangover. Dino and I were drinking a little last night. He's a clumsy guy, too... That's all."

Drinking? He was at least a year too young for that. Never the less, I decided to humor him. "So you guys... were drunk," I muttered. "And then you got all hot with each other," my voice dropped to a hiss. "I get it."

"No, no, no!" Kyoya protested. "Nothing happened. We just went to sleep after that!"

"You were shirtless when you answered the door," I muttered._ 'Explain that, punk,_' Yoru hissed.

"I was overheated at threw my shirt off before I went to sleep!" he said. I tried to leave, so as to not be hurt again, but he grabbed my arm. "Look at me, Ikuto!" Kyoya cried.

I turned, locking my teary gaze with his. "Are you apologizing to keep me from crying over it?" I rasped. Kyoya backed down slightly, but I knew that him backing down meant he was only a bit guilty.

"No... I didn't. I just wanted you to know."

"What a shame," I muttered, putting on a false smirk as I wiped the tears out my eyes. "I almost thought you were growing a heart. Let me go."

"Ikuto... I'm sorry," Kyoya said. "I just wanted you to know."

"I'm not at all offended," I answered, standing upright. "I'm just disappointed in you."

"Sorry," the prefect whimpered.

_'Sorry.'_

_'I'll never love you.'_

"Goodbye, Kyoya. I'll see you on Monday," I said, finally allowed to leave. As I left him, my heart ached to go back, to throw myself into the comfort of those arms, and see that smile again.

But those arms would never comfort me, nor would that smile.

And after this, I was sure he was done.

**-End Chaper**

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	13. A Good Thing Comes from Cutting Class

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 13**

* * *

On monday, I determined that school wasn't going to happen. I climbed through the window of my humble room, and stood up on the roof, violin case in my hands. I slung the instrument over my shoulder, then leapt from the roof to the next over, and I followed it along to the city's smallest and least known park, where I often came to play my heart out. The tune my father had etched into my memory began to play, and I hummed with it as I took out my violin. I took a tuning fork- which was now a friend, not a foe, and used it to tune my A string. Then, I checked with the other strings, and soon determined that I was just a bit flat.

I soon laid my case down on a bench, and stood up on the stage-like platform of the park, before lifting my violin on to my shoulder and starting to play. The song that my father had taught me, the beautiful song of freedom. So wonderful. The bow skipping across the strings, the style and the tone, the sweet, sweet melody. I was delighted by that wonderful music, how it made my body vibrate with my own vibrato... So precious.

"Mm...," I hummed. "Father... I do miss you."

The cheerful memory slowed, leaving behind pure lonliness. I wanted that love back _so_ bad.

I couldn't help it, eventually. I began to dream about Kyoya. My eyes watered, and I clenched my teeth, whispering, "I can still feel his lips against mine." And I could. That kiss, that single kiss, nearly made my life perfect. Unfortunately... mixed with heartbreak, even something that great wasn't the best it could be.

The clouds grew gray as I played my most sorrowful tune, my beautiful song which I myself had composed. But as I slid up to the beautiful, high note, lingering in vibration, I heard footsteps, and soon, I heard a gentle murmur, "Ikuto." I opened my eyes, furious, and I glared at Kyoya, lowering my violin.

_'How dare he follow us here!_' Yoru cried. _'After all that rejection, nya!'_

"What do you want?" I snapped. "Can't you see I'm relaxing?" Hibari stood up on his toes, and leaned in, pulling my head down and meeting our lips together. Even with his frustration, Yoru was immediately soothed, and I was, too.

_Oh, Kyoya._ His lips were suprisingly gentle with me, treating me well. His gentle kiss was so soothing. I wrapped my arms loosely about his waist, my violin still in hand. Kyoya took my head in his hands as he controlled the kiss, and I slowly flushed red, my body melting against his. Right there, that was where I belonged. Kyoya was my home. If he would allow, I would be chained to him for eternity. He backed up, and I gasped as he moaned, "Ikuto..."

My name. _Hibari Kyoya_ just moaned my name. I flushed a deep red, having never experienced double-sided love until then. Kyoya was kissing me. Kyoya loved me. He crashed his lips back into mine, so hard that I almost fell over. This was love as I knew it. As I craved it. I felt myself gravitating even closer to the ravenette, and I at last took the risk to try and deepen the kiss. As my tongue slid out of my mouth to meet the prefect, he whipped his own out and we deepened the kiss to the level that I'd only dreamt of with anyone.

I could feel his fingers tightly clutching my shirt, making me shudder as I felt his fingernails on my back. And soon, just as I began to to truly kiss back, Hibari backed up. Suprised, I took a step back. _He might've been playing with me,_ I thought, so I had to ask. "Kyoya... does this mean you're willing to accept my feelings?"

Kyoya took his time in answering. He stared at the ground, thinking hard, while I gnawed on my lip in anxiety.

_'Don't do it, Kyoya,'_ I thought, _'don't crush me a third time.'_

"Ikuto," Hibari began, looking back up into my eyes. "I will accept. Even though it's... uncertain for me." I sighed, moving my violin back up into a playing position.

"No use continuing without love...," I murmured, "but... I'm glad..." It was so true. Once upon a time, if someone wasn't completely certain, I wouldn't even take the chance of them destroying my heart. But with Kyoya, I couldn't help it. He could destroy me time after time, and I would still love him.

"Good," Hibari said simply, sitting down on the ground and resting his head on his knees. "Play another song, Ikuto...," Kyoya mumbled.

"Mm'kay," I agreed. My father's violin could be heard in the back of my mind, and I sighed, starting to play it on my violin. The song was uplifting and pretty, as if telling the story of my own feelings.

I played for Kyoya for an hour, knowing now that music was what brought us together.

"Can you come over tonight and teach me more?" Hibari asked suddenly. I looked at him, and smiled.

"Only if that 'Bucking Horse' guy isn't there," I answered. "He reminds me too much of Tadase."_ Of the boy who took my last crush away._

"I'll tell Dino to go shopping or something. He won't be there," Kyoya assured me. I suddenly felt as though I'd lost control of my tongue and voicebox, and a confession poured out of my mouth.

"Thank you," it began. "I love you, Kyoya." The prefect was silent for a moment, and I blushed, smiling. _I was a fool._ But anyway, I was happy that I'd at last told him. And as I was packing up, he placed a hand on my shoulder, leaned in slightly, and spoke in his softest possible voice.

"What you said."

I smiled, and leaned up, kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you," I murmured.

"Heh. You're lucky," he murmured. "That's one action you aren't going to need my permission for."

"Pfft. Yeah, sure," I laughed. "Anyway, Kyoya... music brought us together, right?" I said. He nodded. "So I want to give you a lesson every day. That way, you shouldn't grow bored with me."

Kyoya snorted at my suggestion, but he quickly returned his kiss to my cheek. "You're a silly kitty, aren't you, Ikuto?" he cooed. "But I'll play along, for your sake."

_And I prayed that this would work out for us._

**-End Chapter**

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Please Review!


	14. To Namimori

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 14**

* * *

A week after our first double-sided kiss, I decided to spend a night together with Kyoya. Nothing pervy- _honest_- just a little sleepover. He was probably going to make me sleep on the couch anyway. I sat on that couch, waiting for Hibari to come back from checking his mail, inhaling deeply at the scent of dinner from the kitchen. Hibari Kyoya, making _me_ dinner! I was so charmed.

The prefect soon returned to me, and plopped down on the couch at my side, a letter in his hands. "I think Tsunayoshi sent me something," he murmured. I arched a brow. An ex-boyfriend, or what?

"Who?" I questioned. The prefect leaned towards me and started to stroke my cat ears, making a purr rise in my throat.

"My supposed boss," Hibari explained. "He leads a crowd that I'm unwillingly associated with."

"Hm...," I hummed. At least it wasn't an ex. "Better open it." As the prefect was neatly opening the envelope of the letter, I lied down until I had my head comfortably in the prefect's lap. Kyoya continued to stroke my hair, and I closed my eyes, feeling wonderful.

"Dear mister Hibari," the ravenette read. "There is a Vongola meeting December first at... Namimori Middle school... and it is imperitive that you, as a guardian should attend. Signed, Reborn... ah...," Hibari groaned. "I'll have to go there. But I'll need to take a stupid plane trip. At least it's during winter break, huh, Ikuto?" I had been staring at him since he first mentioned December first. Poor, _poor_ me. The thought of being left alone on my birthday. The thought of not being at Kyoya's side to tell him I was turning nineteen. The agony of it all... I lost myself in thought, not knowing that Hibari was waiting for my reply. "Come on, don't look at me like that, Ikuto. We've been separated before."

I looked away. "But Kyoya...," I murmured. "December first... that's..."

"Spit it out, Ikuto!" Hibari ordered.

"... My birthday," I mumbled, my cat ears flattening. Kyoya tugged me back into a sitting position, and came in, before giving me a gentle kiss, which soon turned deep. He hung in the kiss for a satisfying period of time, before slowly backing off.

"Do you want to come with me?"

The most beautiful question anyone had ever asked me. I felt like a pile of fluff as he held me in his arms, my ears perking, my tail lashing excitedly back and forth, before it curled around the prefect's wrist. "Of course I do," I breathed, "I simply must have you beside me on December first."

"All right, you kitten," Hibari teased, standing, holding me bridal style for a few moments before letting me down. "How about we play something before I work on getting those plane tickets?"

"Sure," I agreed, unaware of the fact that this also meant I would be on dinner duty later. We worked on the music for our upcoming school concert, me smiling at the beauty of our duet. Kyoya was an amazingly fast learner. Not only did he learn his part, but I occasionally caught him playing some of my part, too, as if to show off.

When that dumb Bucking Horse dude came back, Hibari was instructing him to take care of his bird, so I hurried on into the kitchen to check on our food. The ramen was boiling steadily, but it still had a few more minutes to go. And so, I stirred it, and waited for Kyoya to join me. The prefect soon did so, and we kissed. "I'm going to get the plane tickets," he whispered against my lips.

"Do it," I murmured back. He went to get a computer, and I sighed, leaning against the counter. "I love you, Kyoya," I sighed to myself.

* * *

A few days later, we were about to get on the plane, when I felt a twinge of fear. "Um... Kyoya... I'm scared of heights," I mumbled. He glared at me.  
"What do you mean, you're scared of heights?" he protested.

"It's really slight," I assured, "and it's just when we're really far off the ground."

"Ugh. You're such a cat," Hibari muttered, gently hitting my shoulder. "Cling to me if you have to." I laughed a little.

"Okay," I sighed. "Let's get on; we're holding up the line."

"We sure are," Hibari agreed. We headed on to the airplane, to our seats, when I came to a realization.

"Man... I've got a huge science project due on January third..."

"It doesn't matter," Kyoya soothed, touching my shoulder. "We'll fail it together." Somehow, that was reassuring.

"Heh, all right," I breathed, leaning into the prefect. He pushed me back, groaning, and I stared at him, only a bit hurt. I settled instead for leaning in and giving him another kiss on the cheek. Soon after, the plane began to roll back, and I sat up straight, grinning. "Good-bye, Torakoa!" I announced. "And hello Namimori!" In return for giving his town that greeting, Hibari leaned over and petted my head, so I smirked at him. As long as I was with that guy, I'd be able to suffer through the haunting memories of my father and myself.

We soon took off, and I took deep breaths to calm myself, my fingers digging into the seat. "Any second now," I mused to myself. "Any second..."

"Attention, passengers; we've reached 10,000 feet, and you may now use any approved electronics."

I instantly went for the music player I'd packed and I handed it to Kyoya, turning it to the music of him and I playing together. I smiled, murmuring, "Put on the headphones." He did so, and I smirked, knowing it would soon put him to sleep, leaving me with an unconcious Kyoya. His eyelids quickly grew too heavy for him, and they fell over his hawk-like eyes. He soon began to relax his body and breath, his heard thudding so quietly not even my cat ears would be able to pick it up.

I glanced out the window, and gulped.

_'W-we're pretty high up, ne, Ikuto?' _Yoru stuttered.

_'Yeah,' _I thought._ 'But the solution for this problem sits right beside us.'_

_'What'cha gonna do, Ikuto?'_

_'I'm going to kiss him.'_ I always loved Yoru for helping me make up my mind. I turned towards Kyoya, and tilted his sleeping face towards me, before meeting our lips together. Sweet nostalgia clouded my mind as I softly and happily kissed my skylark, although my nervousness made me sloppy and much less practiced.

The flight, thankfully, went a lot faster with me making out with Kyoya. When it was finally time to power down the music player, I had relaxed into my seat, and was happily looking through our sheet music, seeking out something to teach the prefect next. Kyoya groggily woke up, and mumbled, "Already?" as I shut off the player.

"No worrries, Kyoya," I hummed, putting the player away. "It was a good flight." The prefect cutely reached up to brush his fingers over his lips, and soon realized just what I'd been up to.

"Don't kiss me when I'm asleep!" he complained. "I have weird dreams when you do that!" I grinned, knowing that those dreams would probably come to him anyway.

"It was the only way to get what I wanted," I answered the prefect, hinting at his silly rules of what I can and cannot take the lead in as I placed an arm around his shoulders. He pushed me away, thankfully not too hard, and we soon got off the plane.

We left the airport, and Kyoya soon paused, his eyes widening as he found a building. He turned to me. "Ikuto, how fast can you run?" he questioned. I thought for a bit.

"Pretty fast," I answered.

"Faster than me?"

"I dunno, maybe," I guessed.

"Let's find out," Hibari invited, before racing away. I started after him, but quickly fell behind, and Kyoya skidded to a stop, before turning around. He walked up to me, his eyes dead serious, and just when I thought he would smack me for not keeping up, he did something much different. I felt an arm around my knees knock me over, and I was caught in Hibari's arms. He then began to run, me in an extremely uncomfortable hold in his arms.

"Damn it, Kyoya!" I cried, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and burying my head in his chest. "You're crazy!"

"I have to get back to Namimori!" he shouted back. I listened to the drum of his footsteps and his rising heart rate, felt the wind over my body, and smelled the beautiful fragrance that the prefect's body emitted as I lied there in his arms. He was really amazing. He continued running for a long amount of time, before slowing gradually, and setting me down. A sense of vertigo overtook my senses, and I leaned against the school gate as Hibari pushed himself all the way to the entrance, before falling to his knees. He said a couple words, before reaching up and brushing his hand over the wall. "Someone's been neglecting their cleaning...," I barely heard.

After reclaiming my senses, I, too, walked up to Namimori Middle school, and sighed, rubbing my forehead. "Jeez, I thought it would be more impressive...," I mumbled, but Kyoya glared at me, shutting me up.

"I'm going inside," he said. "You better come, too."

"'Kay," I sighed, before heading inside with him. We started down the halls, Hibari seeming to go off into a daydream, when I noticed some guy with really blonde hair and bright, blueish eyes walking towards us. Just before I could point him out to Kyoya, however, he began to speak.

"Oh? I see the dragon has returned to his lair," he hissed. "Hibari Kyoya. Such an honor it is."

"Who are you?" Kyoya immediately challenged.

"Me? Only the Head Prefect of Namimori Middle School," the kid said, as if trying to play modest. "The name's Alaude."

"Head Prefect?" Hibari repeated, his expression falling. I knew in that instant that Kyoya was mad. _Really_ mad, and he wanted vengence for his stolen position. I wasn't quite sure how I knew... I just... had a hunch.

"Kyoya, don't," I said, reaching over and placing a hand on his shoulder. "He's just an herbivore. He's nothing to you. Just pass him over and keep on walking."

"Easy for you to say," Hibari hissed, his arms beneath his jacket with a weapon. "Hey, herbivore. I'll see you on the roof to fight over dominence. Be there."

I gulped. 'Here we go,' I thought.

"I thought you'd never ask," Alaude replied, "but I have a price."

"I don't do that," Hibari muttered.

"Then no fight," he answered. Kyoya grew serious, his eyebrows furrowing.

"What do you want?" he questioned.

"Whoever wins gets your friend there," Alaude announced. "He IS quite the cute one."

I sighed with relief, knowing that this was it. Good-bye Namimori! Kyoya doesn't want you any more! But then... "Deal," the prefect spat.

"What?" I snarled. He would never! Would he? Would he gamble with my life, just like that... _on my birthday?_ "Kyoya, you can't do that!" I complained.

"Come on, Ikuto, it's not like I'll lose," he snorted. "Believe in me."

I looked down, and took a deep breath. "I do believe in you, Kyoya..."

A hand patted my head, and I trembled as Kyoya gave me his reply.

_"Good kitty."_

**-End Chapter**

* * *

Please Review!


	15. Captive Cat

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 15**

* * *

I stood with my arms held behind my back, forced to watch the fight between my boyfriend, and his new prey. Alaude had handcuffs; of course, Kyoya wasn't taking him seriously, but I had a feeling that there was more to the act. Hibari rushed, and Alaude immediately hooked a cuff around his tonfa and tore it from his hand. "Don't get so high and mighty. There was a reason that I got appointed to Disciplinary Leader," Alaude announced. "If you're not careful... you'll lose that friend of yours within moments." I trembled, scared for Kyoya's safety, my feline ears quivering. Yoru had character changed me to get me to relax, but that wasn't working in the slightest.

"Kyoya!" I called. "Don't lose! You idiot!"

"Silence," ordered the tough man behind me. Kyoya glared at the one holding me, and lashed his other tonfa towards Alaude, but the blonde easily sidestepped him, taking off one of those odd boxes that Kyoya told me were weapons. And I watched in horror as the handcuffs multiplied into over twenty pairs, before lashing them out and cuffing Kyoya's body all over. As soon as Kyoya got the lower hand, I knew I needed to step in. Uncaring of the fact that I would be seriously embarassing myself, I decided to Character Transform.

"My heart... unlock," I muttered. Yoru embedded his emotions into my heart, and I sighed as I felt my body pulsing with my own sentiments._ Freedom. Life. Love._ I would save Kyoya at all costs, and I would do it without being held back by anyone. "Character Transformation, Black Lynx," I growled as the cape - the final addition - materialized about my shoulders. I whirled about and gave Alaude's friend a severe uppercut, knocking him unconcious. I then ran back towards Alaude, and I tackled him at almost the same time Hibari's other tonfa hit the ground. I pinned the blonde down, shivering slightly from the cold of my exposed stomach. "Release him!" I snapped, pressing the steel claws on my knuckles against Alaude's throat. "Now!"

"Hehe... well, cat boy," Alaude snickered. "I'll do just that, if you kiss me."

"What was that?" I growled, my ears lying back. Hibari whimpered as the cuffs seemed to constrict him, and Alaude smirked.

"You heard me."

I looked back to Kyoya, and the ravenette nodded. "Do it," he gasped. I looked back to Alaude, nervous. "Do it _for me_, Ikuto," Hibari spoke.

_'Happy birthday,_' I told myself, clsoing my eyes, and leaning in. I met those disgusting lips with extreme reluctance. I didn't want this. I wanted Kyoya and I to be together, happy, and I didn't want to betray him at all- whether he wanted me to or not. Alaude's cold fingers teased at the back of my head, making me twitch at the tickling sensation. No more.

I backed up. "Release him," I muttered.

The chains fell from around Kyoya, and I scrambled to my feet, before hugging the prefect tightly. "What's up with you, anyway?" Hibari grunted. "You're wearing something weird."

"It's called a Character Transformation," I explained. "It's another of Yoru's tricks."

"Ah," Hibari acknowledged. "Well... thanks, and don't kiss him again."

"Kyoya, I'm sorry," I began, leaning in to kiss him, "and I won't kiss anyone else but you for as long as I live." I met his lips with my own, but he pushed me back before I could even come close to getting that other guy's taste off of my own.

"I wouldn't say that," Alaude cut in, coming in and touching my shoulder. He leaned in until his stupid head was in the crook of my neck, and he growled, "You're mine now, cat boy."

I hissed back, "Who says?"

"He does," Alaude said, nodding to Kyoya. "He and I made a deal, didn't we?"

Hibari's expression grew dark, and I cheered up slightly. _'Come on, Kyoya,'_ I thought_. 'You would never let him try to take me away from you. Come on... bite him or whatever!'_

"We did."

_'What...?'_ I stared at the ravenette, quivering, and I mouthed, 'I can't leave you for someone like him.' The other walked up to me, touched my shoulder, and leaned in. Not even a kiss passed between us as he caressed my cheek.

"Bye, Ikuto."

I stared in horror as Kyoya turned, and began to leave. He then glanced back at Alaude, and muttered, "I've got business to take care of tonight, so you better be a good pet-sitter for my cat."

"Kyoya...," I breathed in a broken voice.

"Heh," Alaude said, dragging me into a crushing embrace. "I'll be better than anyone else." I looked down, my ears drooping, and I shook my head, still stunned.

"What are you going to do with me?" I murmured.

"What else?" Alaude laughed. "Come with me, pretty boy."

* * *

I was dragged back to Alaude's house, and chained to a wall like some sort of animal, Alaude petting my head. "All right, kitty, you just sit tight and wait for me," he snickered. "Need anything?"

I pointed to the violin at the wall. "My violin," I muttered. "I'd like to be able to reach it."

The blonde laughed, and took the case, before tossing it towards me. I easily caught it, and cradled the instrument in my arms. "Don't worry," I murmured to the black egg that lay in the secret compartment. "Conditions like these... you'll probably be hatching soon." Alaude left me alone, and Yoru sat up on my shoulder.

"Ikuto...," he murmured.

"You know my Death Rebel transformation?" the cat sighed. "That's from this dark dream of mine to actually be chained down to something. So... I guess this isn't going to be so bad. I'll discover another side of myself, right?"

"I guess," Yoru replied with a shrug.

"Happy birthday, me," I sighed, before closing my eyes. I rested my head against my violin case, and somehow managed to sleep.

**-End Chapter**


	16. Hello, Hysteria!

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 16**

* * *

Alaude walked in the next morning, and leaned in, checking the cuff around my arm and leg, making sure everything was in order. "Good kitty," he muttered. "You didn't run."

"Didn't have a choice," I replied. He gave a dark, almost evil chuckle as he came much too close, touching my lips with his own. The kiss was cold, unfeeling, lustful. I didn't like it. And as that heartless young man backed away from me, I wished with all my heart that Kyoya would come to my aide.

Alaude exited the room, and I soon heard conversation in another room. I was pretty impressed that whatever parents that guy had didn't seem to care about me and my current position. Suddenly, the sound of loud purring rumbled up, and I soon found a Guardian Character I'd never seen before. "Hey there, Ikuto," it greeted, emerald eyes flashing. Messy, black hair hung around their face, cat ears sprouting from their head, and, of course, a tail. Two cuffs decorated their ankles, and a chain was draped loosely around their shoulder and waist like a sash.

"I knew it," I groaned, lying down. "I'm a pervert after all."

"My name's Kuro," said the new character, crawling up to me. "I was born from-"

"Yeah, yeah, cut the speech," I muttered. "You used to belong to my dad, right? You were born from the violin and my wish to be chained to music and the quest to find my father... blah, blah, blah."

"Hey!" Kuro complained. "I'm kind of important, you know!" I stuck out my tongue at the other, and he at last got fed up with me. "Ugh! Character Change!" he shouted, his face red with humiliation. My hair darkened as the ears and tail appeared, and a single cuff appeared around each of my wrists. "Start playing, you puppet," Kuro hissed, pointing to the violin case. I began to unpack the violin, and I tuned quickly, before starting to play. With the window tightly shut, no one outside could hear me. Even so, I didn't care.

_Music was my life._

* * *

A while later, after Kuro had completely exhausted me and himself alike, and I sat on the ground, frustrated. Alaude had apparently left for school, and whatever parents he had left with him. Kuro was asleep in my violin case, and Yoru at last decided to come out. "That Kuro guy's a real jerk," he muttered, perching on my shoulder. "Are you okay, Ikuto?"

"Yeah... yeah, m'fine," I muttered. "Hey, you wanna try to break that window so we can at least hear what's going on outisde?" Yoru nodded, and we walked over to it. I threw my shoulder into the window, but nearly fell over from being held by the shackle around my ankle. I hissed, and tried it again, before summoning all of my energy, and punching the window so hard that it shattered. My fist bled a little from hitting it so hard... but I didn't mind. Anything for freedom, right?

I hung my head out the window and listened intently to the sounds outside. Birds chirping, mice squealing, and some children playing a distance away. I just knew that soon, Kyoya's beautiful cello playing would break this uncomfortable peace. I knew it. Yes, he would undoubtedly go to the music room in Namimori Middle. He would get that cello, and he would play it to try and lure out my music. There was no doubt.

I sighed, closing my eyes.

_Hello, hysteria. Meet Tsukiyomi Ikuto._

* * *

_..._

_Ahhh..._

_What a beautiful sound... I wonder... what is it?_

_It's certainly not a violin... a cello, perhaps?_

_A cello?_

_But it sounds like... my father's playing? No..._

_That's impossible._

"Ikuto! Ikuto, wake up, nya!" cried the frantic voice of Yoru. "It's Kyoya! _Our_ Kyoya is playing!"

"Huh...?" I sat upright, and looked around, soon realizing the urgency. "Kyoya? Really?"

"I'm positive!" Yoru cried. "Get up! Get up now!" I scrambled to my feet, and picked up my violin, when Kuro dashed out in front of me.

"No!" he snapped. "You can't join him. You're going to stay here! In chains!"

"Character Change!" Yoru cried, and I managed to quickly unpack my violin and put it up on my shoulder. Unfortunately, Yoru and Kuro began to wrestle with each other, and I couldn't focus on the music. I wavered, uncertain, when Kyoya's untuned cello struck such a sour, high-pitched note that I was forced to snap out of my daze. I placed the bow on the strings, and began to play, my mind hooked on the beautiful melody.

The song of my father rung loud and clear as I played it, and I remembered what I had told Kyoya not too long ago.

I told him the story of what happened between my father and I, but I selectively edited it to make things more romantic. I told him that my father was going to return some day. That my father loved me enough to one day return, and that I would wait for that no matter how long it took. But then... that wasn't the truth.

The truth was... I hadn't seen him too long ago. A few years back, when I was still hot for Amu, Aruto came in and started to tease me about her. He was all flirty, acting as if he would dare to steal her away from me. I figured it all out right then. Aruto didn't love me. He was living a high life of women and partying. He didn't want his young son coming in to his brilliant life and screwing it all up. That was why he left. That was everything.

He did not love me. Only my mother did... and she was gone.

But even as I thought to myself... pouting, agonizing, I realized that I wasn't alone.

There was someone out there who still loved me.

_And his name was Hibari Kyoya._

**-End Chapter**

* * *

Bleh, short chapter. That's 'cause the parallel of this chapter has a lot more action on Hibari's side. Right, did I mention it? This story is 'The Skylark and the Cat' from Ikuto's point of view.

Please Review!


	17. My One and Only

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

As I continued to play, a sliver of me wondered if Kyoya was really going to come save me. What if it hadn't even been him? I could no longer feel his presence, after all...

I buried my head in my bowing arm as I coughed, my stomach rumbling with hunger. Damn that blonde kid, didn't even bother to feed me. I continued to play regardless of my hunger, and I was eventually rewarded. A shadow was cast over the window frame, and I heard one word - one sound that made my face light up with a smile.

"Ikuto!"

I put down my violin, and smiled. "Kyoya?" I rasped, inwardly frowning at my broken voice. Hibari hopped in through the window which I had broken for him, and he rushed over to me, his expression clouded with worry.

"Okay, stay calm," he told me. "I'm going to get you out of this." I looked back to the shackles, and my expression fell.

"Kyoya, it's useless," I sighed. "I can't Character Transform. Those steel claws are what I need to cut the chains." And as happy as I was to see Kyoya, I still had to tell him, "I know you can't."

"Try to have a little faith in me. I'm stronger than you think." I rolled my eyes, remembering my hysteric ideas from earlier. And so, when Kyoya turned back to me, clearly missing his tonfas, I joked,

"You don't have your tonfas. You left them in the music room. By the way, your high note was out of tune."

Suddenly, Kyoya turned towards me, fire in his eyes.

"How can you take this so lightly?" he shouted. "Look at me, Ikuto! I left you in the care of some stranger, on your birthday! I'm terrible; be mad at me already!" My hurt, my betrayal, my fear, I could feel it all leaking out of my mask, showing Kyoya my real thoughts on the matter. I eased myself down, sitting on the floor with my violin.

"I know what you did," I said seriously. "And it hurt me." I looked back up at Kyoya, tears hanging in my eyes, and I felt my lip tremble. "I know the severity of the situation," I whispered. "But Kyoya... I..." I reached out, and when he took my hand, I pulled him close, and murmured, "Kyoya, I love you. I can't do anything but forgive you."

It was true. He was the most special, most important one to me in the entire world. I don't believe I would've been able to ever stay mad at him. The prefect looked at me odd, and mumbled, "Ikuto... that's just..."

"Just what?" I asked, a little nervous. I searched his expression for clues, but he looked as perplexed as I felt.

"It's just so weird to me that you would accept what I've done to you."

I quivered, for a second unsure how to reply, but I soon thought of my answer. "You didn't do anything," I told him. "Nothing, but make a deal, and follow though; I can't be angry for that." With that, I Character Changed, and I could feel the chains beneath my tail. I looked up at Kyoya, trying so hard to show him that I was all right. His eyes still blazed with apology and anger at himself, and I did my very best to express to him my forgiveness. What could I say? Kyoya,_ I love you? I need you? Alaude doesn't compare to you?_

It took a while, but Hibari soon broke the silence for me. "Ikuto," he murmured as he took me into the gentlest, warmest embrace I'd ever felt. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," I insisted. "I just want to get unchained-"

"Hear me out," he cut in. I fell silent as he looked straight into my eyes, but in such a way that I felt as though he knew everything I was thinking, while I knew nothing of his intentions. "No matter what," he began, "this is never going to happen, okay? From here on, it will be happiness and gentility for the rest of my life. I promise. And... I... I'll take care of you... I'll make sure... you're never hurt again. Ikuto... I... I really love you." His eyes glistened, and I was shocked to see that it was because he was starting to cry. He continued to stare at me, his eyes growing wetter by the second. But there was no way! Never, never would Hibari... he wouldn't... and yet...

He _was_.

It felt like we were the only two people in the entire world. I felt my heart thumping against my chest, as if Yoru was jumping up and down inside me with glee. His warm cheek pressed into mine as he rested his head on my shoulder, and I at last replied, "I love you, too." And then, as I came upon the realization that I really ought to be returning his hug, I set my violin on the ground, and wrapped my arms around him. He looked back at me for a second as my arms loosely hugged his body, and he began, "Ikuto, I..." His voice cracked, and I gasped as his face was completely buried in my shoulder, him crying so quietly and sadly that it could've broken my heart. His face was a dark shade of red, although, whether from the tears or the humiliation of it all I couldn't tell. I felt the warm, wet drops of water against my shoulder, and I bit my lip, rubbing his back.

"I've... never seen you cry before," I breathed. His fingers tightly clutched my shirt, and he shook his head, before trying to speak.

"Ikuto... I nev... I don'... jus'... just hold me... Ikuto..." After that, he broke down to the lowest I'd ever even thought I'd see him. He began to beg for forgiveness, displaying his pain and self-loathing in a way that crushed me. "I'm so sorry, Ikuto...," he continued, shutting his eyes as if to try and rid himself of his tears even faster. "Please... forgive me..." I soon had to cave in to my own weakness, and instead of just comforting him, I pushed him back.

"It's okay, Kyoya," I insisted, reaching up. As I gently brushed away his tears, I murmured, "Don't worry."

"Ikuto, I...," he started, looking away, reaching up and covering his mouth as he sniffled, "... can't help myself. I... I feel so unguarded around you... You're everything I should've been." That last part I hardly understood, but I could see that he still needed more comfort before he started making sense again. I smiled, and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Don't you understand, Kyoya? It's you that I like- it's you that I love. No one else. So don't change for me, okay?" He gave a shaky, uncertain nod as he backed away from my touch, before he came back in, and his jaws sealed my mouth as he suddenly gave me a fierce, open-mouthed kiss. To be completely honest, it was almost scary. He was aggressive, passionate, to the point where I almost passed out from lack of breath. But once he backed away from me, it was like I was seeing him in a new light.

"How's that for not changing?" he said in a smug voice.

"It's precisely what I wanted," I returned, smirking. He smiled in that way that only he could, that way that bore the light of sunshine, and his arms squeezed my body in a somewhat possessive manner. And even though I wasn't yet free, there was one thing that I grasped quite clearly.

That was... that Kyoya was the one and only for me.

**-End Chapter**

* * *

Yeah... Review'n stuff.


	18. The Downfall of Alaude

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 18**

* * *

I distantly heard someone calling Kyoya, and the prefect retreated from his embrace, me staring after him, just a little disappointed. "Tsunayoshi!" the prefect called out the window, "Over here! Come here!" I continued to sit on the ground, watching something over by my violin. That Guardian Character who had just been born was being squished into his egg once again, probably to never rehatch. I smiled as Yoru rolled the egg into my violin case before Kyoya could see.

By time I looked back up, a boy with spiked up brown hair, another with silver hair, a man with a goofy grin and short black hair, and a few others came in through the window. Feeling a little free already, I let my tail curl up around my legs, and I greeted, "Well hello, everyone." I suppressed a chuckle as the brown-haired boy stared at me, before walking over to the chains, lighting some flames on his gloves... and melting the chains with them. It took a while for them to be molten down, but once I saw that they were no longer capable of restraining me, I took my violin and stood up, sighing, "Finally..." I looked over at Kyoya, and he lumbered over to me, before nuzzling into my shoulder.

"Ikuto...," he breathed. "I'm so happy. So... so happy." Charmed by his cuteness, I could no longer be still.

"Kyoya," I husked, taking his chin and lifting it up, before kissing him. I expected him to push me back for not asking his permission, but instead, he kissed back in a submissive manner, being affectionate and pretty much just plain out of character. It was nice.

"Yo, Hibari! Hate to hose your heat, but we need to get the hell out of here!" the silver-haired male interrupted. Man, I really wished that could have lasted _just a little_ longer. Hibari backed away from me, his cheeks dusted pink, and he took my arm, looking back up into my eyes.

"He's right; we need to go," he mumbled. I reluctantly nodded, and we left together.

Yoru perched on my shoulder as I walked with my violin on my back, and I soon noticed Hibari reaching out to him. Yoru hopped into his hand, and I blushed lightly as Hibari began to pet the character. I smiled as Kyoya looked back at me, giving a soft laugh as he grinned. "We need to get a kitten sometime, seriously." I gave a wide smirk in reply, and I leaned over until my lips brushed against his ear.

"But Kyoya," I breathed, "you can always just pet and play with _me_, you know."

"Ikuto!" Yoru complained. "Don't hog all the fun, nya!" I grinned, watching with glee as a blush painted the prefect's pale cheeks crimson. I really loved him.

* * *

Just a while later, we reentered Nami Middle, and went into the Reception Room to give Alaude his retribution. "All right, Alaude," Kyoya growled as he entered the room. "You've had your fun, and some of my Ikuto, too... but now that's all over!" I smiled at him, then turned serious as Alaude got up from the couch, glaring, a rather scary grin on his face.

"What, you think you can defeat me with your newly found resolve?" he asked, taking out his handcuffs. "Forget it, gramps, it's impossible." I cocked my head, confused.

"Gramps? Why the hell would he call you gramps?"

"It doesn't really matter," Kyoya answered. "Hurry and do your freaky Character Transformation thing so we can take him on."

I tried not to blush as I replied, "Okay, then. My heart, unlock!"

I could feel Yoru go into my heart as my feelings of freedom peaked, and I sighed as I felt the world spinning about me for a moment, leaving me in my Black Lynx clothing. I glanced back at Kyoya and flicked my ears. "All right. Let's do this, Kyoya," I said. Hibari stood staring for a moment, before turning back at Alaude and holding out his tonfas.

"Both of you, hm?" Alaude muttered. "That's not an honorable way to fight."

"But it's our way," I argued, smirking.

"Let's go," Hibari murmured. We rushed at him, and I did my best to hurt him, but not that hard. Even as I tried not to be too harsh, Kyoya forced Alaude against my steel claws, and the blonde turned towards me, getting a handcuff on my arm.

_"Baaaad_ kitty," he hissed, pulling me towards him. "I should get you for that."

Kyoya's next hit with his tonfa was so hard, it made a sickening crunch ring out. I stumbled away, stunned as the blonde stood back up again. "Kyoya, you're going to hard!" I cried. "We can't kill him!"

"We can't, but we must," he sneered, lunging forward again and swinging his arm around to hit Alaude in the jaw. The other retaliated by cuffing his hand, and as he got Kyoya in a sort of death grip, I stood still, timid. Kyoya's wrist was tightly held in the grip of Alaude's cuff, and the current prefect had hit his other arm, making him drop his other tonfa. I was torn. I would never kill a man, but Kyoya was so important to me. And just when I came forward to try and attack, Kyoya uppercutted the blonde with a bare fist. Breathing a bit heavily, he looked back at me, and I immediately turned away.

"Sorry, Kyoya," I murmured. "I just..."

"It's fine," Kyoya muttered. "Just don't chicken out the next time my life is in danger." I gave a sad nod, feeling guilty about my reluctance, when Kyoya walked up to me and began to pet my ears so gently, it made me nearly forget what we'd just done. "It's okay," he whispered. "It's okay, good cat... _good_ cat..." I gave the ravenette a grateful smile, and hugged him. And I shuddered as he breathed into my ears, "You did better than anyone else would have for me." I tensed for a moment.

_'Kyoya, that was a low blow,'_ I thought. _'What a compliment.'_

My embrace became noticably tighter, and I leaned in, playfully nipping his ear before I husked, "That was the most wonderful thing you've ever said to me." Kyoya chuckled, giving a little shrug in reply.

"Then I'm glad I said it." A purr broke through my lips, and I couldn't help the swishing of my tail. He was just too brilliant.

"Kyoya," I sighed, "I love you."

"Love you too," he murmured back.

Just then, in the midst of our warmth, came a shout. "What are you two doing?" We turned to see the principal, and he quickly ran past us to his passed out son, and shouted in agony as Kyoya and I dashed out.

"How'd it go?" asked the brown haired kid once we'd left the room.

"He shouldn't bother you guys anymore," Hibari huffed. "But we need to leave." My cat ears perked up immediately.

"Back to Tora High?" I murmured. Kyoya gave me a shy nod, and looked away.

"If I'm with you, I think... Namimori doesn't matter."

"Kyoya...," I sighed, smiling softly.

"Don't get all weird about it," he muttered. "I'm just saying the truth..."

I smirked, grabbing his hand. "If I had known how adorable you were, I would've kissed you a lot sooner."

We left Namimori Middle school and started towards the nearest hotel, both of us flustered as we thought about what we best do once we get there. And what did we do? Heh.

_Guess._

**-End Chapter**

* * *

_**PILLLLLOWFIIIIIGHT**_! XD Jk.

Please Review!


	19. Suprise Birthday Present?

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

"Ikuto, we're never doing anything in any hotels for the rest of my life, understand? The beds are freaking uncomfortable." I turned away, coughing against my arm to disguise my nervous outburst of laughter, and I looked back at him, my face burning with embarassment as I faked a grin and said, "No promises." Thankfully, he didn't notice my blush, and he leaned tiredly against me.

"When will the dumb plane take off?" he whispered. I sighed, leaning back into him.

"We've got a ten minute delay," I murmured, before reaching into my bag and getting the music player. "Shall I put you to sleep for that time?"

"Fine. Just don't kiss me," he muttered. I smiled again, glancing at him.

"No promises."

"Ikuto," he started again. "I've had enough of you for one day, all right?" I paused for a moment, hurt, then, upon realizing that he had a very just point, I smiled, giving him the headphones.

"Sure thing, Kyoya." I was always someone who knew better than to poke at nerve points, after all. Kyoya soon started to doze, and I smiled as he slumped into me, his expression relaxing for perhaps the first time that morning. I chuckled, closing my eyes, and I thought for a few moments about kissing him anyway. I shook it off quickly, and glanced back at him. His face was so beautiful. His silky, black hair, and his gorgeous pale skin. He was truly an amazing man, and the thought that he was mine... that just made it all better. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders, and rested my head on his.

He was the love of my life, and I silently promised then and there to be loyal to him forever.

* * *

We returned to Hibari's apartment to find a strange, strange sight. That Bucking Horse or whatever guy... He looked up at Kyoya with those bright eyes, and grinned goofily.

"Ah, Kyoya! Welcome home!" he greeted. He was dressed in some freaky, housekeeper's outfit.

"Bronco, do me a favor and leave for a while," Hibari growled. "Thanks for taking care of Hibird."

"Oh, all right. But can I get changed first?"

I facepalmed.

"Yeah whatever, get dressed in something masculine and get out," Hibari growled, waving the blonde away. As Dino left, the ravenette called for his bird, which soon came flying towards us, singing what I now knew to be the Namimori school anthem. The bird fluttered over to the prefect and landed on his finger.

"You don't need to," Hibari hushed the bird in the middle of its song. "We have a new song to learn, 'kay? One for the big kitten behind me, 'kay?"

"Hibari! Hibari!" the bird confirmed.

"What do you mean by a 'new song for the big kitten?'" I snickered. "I don't suppose you sing?"

"Not in front of you, I don't," Hibari answered. "So I'm going to teach Hibird something."

"Oh, come on," I pouted, lacing my arms around his neck. "Sing for me, Kyoya, I'm sure you can sing just as good as any songbird."

He slid out of my embrace, not breaking into a smile, and he held Hibird towards me, before asking, "Who's that, Hibird?"

"Ikuto! Ikuto!"

As my face burned with a blush, Hibari smirked and said, "Yes, that's absolutely right. Go ahead and stay with him for a while." The bird flew off of Kyoya's finger, and I felt a chill as the tiny claws rested instead on my shoulder. I smiled. That fluffy little guy really tickled. "I'm going to get something for dinner," Hibari sighed as he made way towards the door. "Stay here."

"Pfft- yes, Master," I muttered. Hibari left then, and I grinned, making way into his room. Dino was just clearing out, and as he left, I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, man. Beat you to it." The man glanced back at me, also grinning.

"I'll be fine. Kyoya wasn't ever into me, really," he murmured. He left at that, and I smiled as Hibird left my shoulder, before I walked over and flopped down on to Kyoya's bed. I slid myself under the covers, and sighed, completely content just to be there. I sighed, hugging an extra pillow, and purring quietly as I smelled my prefect on it.

Whenever did I get this way? How was it that Hibari Kyoya, with the most ineffective and sadistic methods, managed to capture my heart? Only sweet when absolutely need be, only kind when he felt like it... What did I see in him?

The answer to that? Everything. I saw everything about him. That was the point.

I sighed, getting back up, and I headed back into the living room and instead moved to the couch, knowing he would probably react worse than Amu if he found me in his bed. I dug around in my school bag, which had been tossed on the ground beside the couch, and I dug out our winter break reading assignment, and stared at the book for a good amount of time. "Ugh. Hey, Hibird?" I said, glancing at the bird that had had landed on my shoulder once more. "What do you know about this song that Kyoya's trying to teach you?"

The bird took a moment, then chirped a few notes that I could recognize. It was a song I'd taught Kyoya. A song that my father had taught me first. I smiled, and reached over, then petted Hibird with two fingers, smiling as the bird chirrupped happily. "You're so cute."

"Ikuto! Ikuto!" it answered.

"Heh. How adorable," I sighed. I then looked back at the book I was meant to read, and I rolled my eyes, hearing the English teacher's scolding words in the back of my mind. At that, I opened it, and slowly began to read. I really wish I could get better intrest in these things. Suddenly, I heard the lock to the door, and I glanced at it, my excitement rising. Even though it hadn't even been a half hour, I was so happy that Kyoya was already back for me. Nevertheless, I wanted to tease him, so I looked back down and pretended to be intrested in the book.

"Ikuto!" he called. "Sorry, I don't have dinner, but I have a suprise for you!" I instantly stopped pretending, and I looked back at Kyoya, then stiffened as I saw the shadow of a person behind him.

"Hmm?" I nervously hummed. "Who's that?"

Kyoya stepped aside, and my rage flared as the man whom I hadn't seen in a few years stepped in. The man who showed no intrest in me. The man who abandoned me. Tsukiyomi Aruto. "How are you, boy?" he asked. That was it. Could he even say my name? Was it that hard? I stood right up, and threw that dumb book right at him, growling as I missed.

"The hell are you here for?" I shouted. "Just when I got my life in order, you have to show and screw everything up!" I started to look for another book to throw, and smirked as I found a really heavy one.

"Okay, I suppose I deserved that," Aruto began, rubbing his head as though offended. I threw the second book, and snorted as it hit him in the face.

"Damn it, dad!" I growled. "I'll bet you were messing around with Kyoya, too!"

"I was not," he defended, the volume of his voice rising slightly. "I only 'mess around' with your girlfriends! I'm not intrested in guys!"

"Don't lie to me!" I cried.

"Damn it, you two!" Hibari suddenly intervened, and I froze as I saw the sorrow in his gray eyes. "I freaking got you two together because I thought you missed each other, but it looks like I was wrong!" With that, he stormed into his room, and I felt my heart sinking as I realized the issue.

I told him I hadn't seen my father since he left me as a child. I didn't tell him about how he came back and messed with things. I had lied, and said that I was waiting for him to come home.

_And inadvertently..._

_I hurt the one I loved._

**-End Chapter**

* * *

Hehe~

Please review!


	20. Our True Love

**The Cat and the Skylark**

**Chapter 20**

* * *

I stood awkwardly in that room, faced with a father who now had a nosebleed and a starting bruise on his forehead. "I'm sorry," I sighed. "All right? But I need to go take care of things with Kyoya. I didn't know this was so important to him." I walked back into his - rather, OUR - bedroom, and sighed as I saw him lying there on his side, still breathing a little heavily from losing his temper. It had been my intention to tease him about yelling like a frustrated girl, but when I saw him like that, all I could murmur was, "Kyoya..." I slowly sat down on the bed beside him, and I reached back, starting to pet his hair.

I loved him.

With my position, I had respectfully made it so that I wasn't seeing his sad face, but I knew that his silence meant something. It meant I had done something wrong, and that he didn't want to talk to me about it. And I knew I had hurt him.

I hurt the one I loved.

"Shh," I hushed the prefect, "I'm sorry, Kyoya. I was really suprised to see him." I moved my hand down, and softly rubbed his cheek, hoping that he was going to forgive me. He soon did, actually, and he proved that by sitting up and giving me the tightest hug yet. I character changed, and shuddered into a purr as he stroked down my back. I felt as though I didn't deserve it. This warm hug, the signal that I was the one and only in the world who he needed. It felt so good. "I admit I should've told you that I heard from him a while ago...," I breathed. "You see, four- no- five... six...? Yeah... six years ago, when I still had a crush on Amu, I left the town to try and find my father. And one day, I did. But the thing is... he had just turned thirty, and he didn't want to bother with a son yet- he wanted to keep partying with the ladies, you know?"

"Hn," he grunted to show that he was listening.

"So basically," I continued, "things got real complex there, and it wasn't long before he started saying that he was going to kiss Amu, and you can imagine my frustration at him..."

"I suppose," he mumbled against my ear. "I just don't get why you couldn't tell me." I smiled.

"I thought it would be more romantic if I said that I was waiting for him to come home after all these years," I relied.

"Hardly," he snorted, reaching up. I tensed slightly as I felt him rubbing my cat ears, and I shuddered, resting my head on his shoulder. "Hey, I'll forgive you just this once, okay?" Kyoya breathed. "Just 'cause I get lost in your cuteness- don't let this happen again."

"Well, if you have to know everything," I began smugly, "then let me tell you about my sister-"

"Not intrested," Kyoya cut in. I smirked, and chuckled, returning the former prefect's hug with just as much fierocity. It was then that I decided to tell him the promise I'd come up with on our trip home.

"Kyoya... I'm never going to leave you, okay?" I vowed. "So don't ever worry about me breaking up with you."

"Do't think so highly of yourself," he muttered. "I would never think that." Even as he said that, he looked back at me with eyes that were swimming in relief. I almost wanted to hug him to death when I saw that little glint of buried sadness within them. He trembled, and he gave me another reassuring squeeze in his embrace, coming in and resting his head against my shoulder. He was my one and only, and I would never, never let him go. I was going to keep him by my side for eternity, never once releasing his hand. He was my precious true love. My perfect prefect. My adorable songbird. My ideal. My boyfriend. Mine.

"Ikuto," he murmured. "I love you so much." I took his head in my hands, and smiled as he combed through my hair.

"I love you too, Kyoya," I whispered, happy to see the smirk that followed.

"Hope you don't mind being my pet cat," he sneered. I released his face, and sighed dreamily.

"You're the only one who can leash me, Kyoya," I assured, before chuckling. "Heh. The only one."

***cough***

Kyoya and I glanced back at Aruto, to see him with his arms folded, a smile on his face. "Well I'll be," he sighed. "My boy is into men." I rolled my eyes, releasing Kyoya from our double-sided death hug.

"Father, please," I sighed.

"No, no, it's okay," the older man insisted, before inviting himself to the bed and crossing his legs. "It's perfectly fine to like men, Ikuto, I always wanted to tell you that being different makes you important. Being different makes you who you are."

"Yeah, skip the lecture," I muttured, turning my eyes elsewhere. "Why are you still here, anyway?"

"I just wanted to apologize," Aruto said, "I should've been there for you."

"When did you start thinking that?" I questioned. My father smiled.

"The moment I left," he replied. "Always. I wanted to be with you." "You wanted to be with your girlfriends," I snarled. "You never cared-"

"Ikuto," Kyoya interrupted, placing a hand on my shoulder. He leaned in, and kissed my cheek, before murmuring, "Forgive your father. He didn't mean any harm, and you found me without his help, right?"

"You were always on my mind," the other man started again. "Never did a moment go by that I didn't regret my decision. Ikuto, let me back into your life. Let me be your father." I felt as though Kyoya and I were certainly one on this decision.

We saw his pleading, green eyes and serious expression, and in that moment, we spoke together, "No."

"... No?"

I turned away, guilty, and I was relieved when Hibari stepped up for me. "You need to keep working," he told my father. "Ikuto and I are... fine on our own. Trust me, Aruto. I'll take good care of him."

"... Oh, Ikuto," Aruto murmured after a long pause. "You've grown up too fast."

"Nineteen years, father," I murmured, feeling tears come to my eyes. "I've found my place in life."

"I'm very proud of you... you both, in fact," he answered, and I finally looked back at him. "Kyoya, I'm entrusting my son to you. Do me a favor, and keep him happy."

"He'll be safe in my arms," Kyoya answered. I shyly looked back at him.

"That's my line, Kyoya."

* * *

It wasn't long after that Kyoya and I decided to play for the old man. We performed the song that Hibird was learning at Kyoya's request, and our heartstrings played as sweetly as our instruments. After a hearty applause, Aruto excused himself, and Kyoya and I at last discovered the fact that it was nighttime. I was charmed as Kyoya went to make dinner. "Good job earlier," he called as he filled a pot with water. "Your violin covered almost all of my stupid mistakes."

I laughed, and answered, "It's hard to memorize songs. Don't worry about it - you did great." After putting a package of ramen noodles in the pot, Kyoya stepped right back over to where I lied on the couch. I expected him to seductively approach and kiss me, when he did something completely unexpected. He hurdled himself on to the couch, his arms pinning me down, and he began to kiss me roughly, deepening it until I thought he was going to suffocate me. I moaned, then gasped as he grabbed my tail, sliding his hand down it until the end before he at last released it. I couldn't stop myself from shoving him back this time, and I panted, "Save the tail for dessert, would you?" The prefect gave me a mischievous grin, sitting back.

"I love you," he said out of the blue.

"I love you too," I sighed, leaning back in my seat. "And I appreciate you for repeating so every five minutes, but please try to cut back."

"Ah, you want something more romantic," he teased. "Then, Ikuto, I love you so much that I pray my heart will stop if we must break apart." I looked away, my face burning, and my ears flattened.

"Don't say stuff like that," I murmured. "We won't break apart, Kyoya." The mere thought made me scared.

"How am I supposed to be sure when I'm hooked up with such a womanizer as you?" he answered in a pouting voice.

"Hey, I am _not_ a womanizer," I argued.

And that night's dinner was splendid.

* * *

Kyoya and I spent years together. As I had promised myself and as Kyoya had promised Aruto, we never left each other's sides. Kyoya was always a dear, keeping me comfortable, even caring for me whenever I fell ill. I did my best to do the same for him, but I found that he easily outdid me when it came to caring for each other like that. Our relationship lasted for ages, it seemed. Past high school, through college, and finally, in our late thirties, through marriage.

_I was right again._

_It was true love._

**-Meowari!**

* * *

Yay! I finished it! XD And before a year has passed on 'The Skylark and the Cat's finish! :3 This makes me very happy.

Please Review!


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